Perata Finds The Knife

And on the way out the door, he had to twist it one more time.

Legislative Democrats and the governor are backing off their demand that the state budget be balanced with new taxes, according to a confidential e-mail the state Senate leader sent to fellow Democrats and obtained by The Times.

Senate Leader Don Perata (D-Oakland) told his caucus in the e-mail, sent Thursday night, that he informed the governor "we urgently need a budget -- let's see if I can work on a deal with the Reps [Republicans] that is no tax, no borrowing. He agreed."

I quibble with the words "Legislative Democrats" at the head of the article. It sounds like Don Perata is backing off his demand. The Assembly appears to have no say whatsoever. Later in the email, Perata writes "We then bring in Assembly leaders to show them what we're sending them," as if they are supposed to just carry out whatever The Don wishes. Maybe he'll force them to contribute to his legal defense fund while he's at it.

A no tax, no borrowing budget is either cuts-only or the mother of all accounting gimmicks, probably both. We do urgently need a budget - but we more urgently need Don Perata to extricate himself from this process. He is nothing but a poison. At a time when 82% of Californians are extremely worried about the late budget, and large majorities favor a balanced approach over the cruelty of the Yacht Party, NOW he decides to cave in? If so, why wait 74 days and cripple working Californians everywhere?

Without 2/3, we can't move forward as a state. But of course Perata has single-handedly made it impossible to get to 2/3 in the Senate, so he's been wrong in practically every respect.

Please resign, Don.