Senate, Assembly Pass Work-Around Budget

So the State Senate pushed through the creative, $18 billion-dollar lawsuit bait of a budget moments ago by a vote of 23-15. Republican Sen. Mark Wyland abstained and there are only 39 Senators in the chamber, with Mark Ridley-Thomas' seat currently vacant. That means there was one Democratic "No" vote.

Thanks, Lou Correa.

These bills are on the Governor's desk.

Democratic legislators today sent Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger a complex and controversial package of tax increases and program cuts, an $18 billion effort designed to avoid the need for Republican votes that GOP leaders called illegal.

The state Senate and Assembly made their way through the package of bills required for the maneuver, voting along party lines on tax increases while jointly backing other proposals to hasten public works spending. Republicans opposed the tax proposals and accused majority Democrats of breaking the law.

There is some relaxation of environmental legislation in the package. Now we wait to see if the Governor signs it.

...within minutes, the Yacht Party caucus in the Assembly dashed off a letter to the Governor urging him to veto, calling it "the Democrat's illegal tax package." Every member signed it but one - Paul Cook. And contrary to my musings that he was in a tough election fight and might want some distance from the crazies, Shane Goldmacher sez he's out sick.

...And Arnold tells the state to go Cheney themselves. I guess they go back and do whatever union-busting crap he wants now. What a joke.