Sen. Correa Really Doesn't Want To Vote For The Budget

It's clear that he doesn't. He probably thinks it will cost him his re-election in 2010. That may or may not be, but certainly it's his point of view. There is no other reason why the vote was rescheduled. And it's certainly why Dem leaders are offering him incentives:

In what some might call an amazing coincidence, a measure to give Orange County an extra slice of the state budget pie was included in Saturday's deficit-closing proposals, the fate of which rested heavily on the vote of an Orange County state senator.

The senator, Lou Correa of La Habra, was the only Democratic member of the upper house reported to be "noncommittal" on whether to support a $40 billion package of tax hikes, spending cuts and loans designed to close the gap in California's budget.

Correa's vote is vital because Senate Republican leader Dave Cogdill of Modesto said that for any Republicans to cast votes for the package - and three are needed to give it the 27-vote two-thirds majority it needs - all Democrats will have to vote aye. "I just don't think it gets out if he (Correa) doesn't go up on it," Cogdill said earlier this week.

Capitol sources, who asked not to be named while commenting on private negotiations, said language had been inserted in the massive 33-bill package that would give Orange County $35 million in additional property tax revenues in the coming fiscal year; $35 million in the 2010-11 fiscal year, and up to $50 million annually after that.

Further delays mean he's further away from saying yes to the whole thing. And of course, this is another perverse outcome of the Yacht Party's stranglehold on the budget process - Correa's marginal seat shouldn't really hold the key to whether or not this passes.

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.