California Legislature Breaks A Record ... Cause for Celebration?

State lawmakers break record for late budget

Matthew Yi
Sacramento Bureau - San Francisco Chronicle
Monday, September 1, 2008

The Legislature has broken its dubious record for approving the budget late, a result of failing to break an impasse in negotiations that reached 62 days Sunday.

The Assembly and Senate wrapped up their legislative sessions Sunday after debating and voting on more than 100 bills, but none of them was related to solving the state's $17.2 billion budget gap. The gap includes $2 billion in reserves.

But while the bills have been approved, they and many others now hang in limbo, since Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has vowed not to sign any legislation into law until legislators approve a budget.

Schwarzenegger will have until the end of September to sign or veto any bills sent to his desk. If he doesn't act, the bills would automatically become law after Sept. 30. But Schwarzenegger has said that without a budget, he will veto the bills before they automatically become law.

The previous record for a late budget was set in 2002 under the watch of then-Gov. Gray Davis, when the Legislature approved the spending plan on Aug. 31.

Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, D-Baldwin Vista (Los Angeles County), said Sunday that she feels terrible that the Legislature will set a new record for a late budget on her watch.

"But we are facing a crisis like no other," she said. "And I do hope that we can resolve this soon."

A compromise is nowhere in sight, with Republicans and Democrats digging in their heels over possible tax increases and budget ideas such as a spending cap and a large rainy day fund.

"One likes to make records, do things of distinction, but not of this sort, certainly," Assemblyman Roger Niello, R-Fair Oaks (Sacramento County), said about the late budget. "But I believe we absolutely have to (overhaul the budget) this year because that will make our (future) years better."

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