doing somewhat better than his earlier predecessor, in roughly the same position.
89
K-12 teachers and other groups protested at the Capitol. The California Teachers Association oddly pushed for Brown somehow to enact tax extensions
There are no polls on public attitudes specifically
without a ballot measure. How he was supposed
regarding those Republicans in negotiations with
to produce such a result was a mystery. 96 If he did
the governor. But one—Senator Bob Dutton—ended
not have a two-thirds vote for a ballot measure,
up looking silly when he complained that during
he certainly did not have it for tax extensions.
the negotiations, he was “yelled at” by Anne Gust,
CTA also ran TV ads urging the legislature to pass
Brown’s wife and advisor.
90
A Brown spokesperson
a budget, presumably with tax extensions and
joked that the governor ’s dog also barked at Dutton.
without an election on the issue. The governor
Brown said that Dutton was “filibustering” and that
continued to negotiate concessionary contracts
Gust had “some level of impatience for that kind of
with state labor unions but the Legislative Analyst
nonsense.”
91
questioned the magnitude of the savings achieved and Republicans threatened to vote against
In any event, whatever the public attitude might
approval of the agreements.
have been toward Dutton and his complaints about the first lady (and possibly the first dog), the
Various budget scenarios were aired. At one point,
legislature as a whole was very poorly regarded
the governor indicated he might present a budget
relative to the governor among voters: 16% approve,
that assumed that there would be tax extensions on
70% disapprove, 14% no opinion. Embroiling itself
the ballot and that they would pass, even if the votes
in a controversy over regulating shark fin soup
for such developments had not yet happened. 97
in the midst of a budget crisis did not improve
Democrats floated new tax ideas—such as a tax
the legislature’s image. Not long after the yelling
on sugary sodas—but then dropped them since
episode, a state panel voted to eliminate the purchase
Republican votes were not available for passage.
of cars for legislators, substituting a less-costly
Treasurer Bill Lockyer opined that maybe if an
transportation allowance.
all-cuts budget had to be passed, the cuts should be concentrated in Republican districts. “The people
Although exactly what would be in the May Revise
who want less government ought to be at the front
was not known, there was preemptive litigation filed.
of that line to get less government,” he said. 98
Some “First Five” local commissions—who receive earmarked tax revenue approved by voters—filed
Senate leader Darrell Steinberg mused that perhaps
suit against a potential taking of that revenue by
children in Republican districts could be spared
the state.
92
There had already been cuts in such
from disproportionate targeted cuts but perhaps
programs pursuant to earlier raids on First Five funds
adult services could be considered. 99 Although
and there would be more to come. 9 3 UC-San Diego
targeting was denied, a redirection of vehicle
postponed the establishment of a new law school due
license fee (car tax) money contained in the eventual
to “the state’s changing fiscal picture.”
94
UCLA’s
budget particularly hit certain Republican districts.
chancellor wrote an op-ed noting that the 29 members
A spokesperson for the governor, commenting
of the Republican legislative delegation had attended
on the impact on particular Riverside cities with
California higher education institutions but were
Republican representatives noted that residents
unwilling to provide a vote that would avoid greater
there could “thank (their) legislators for their
cuts to those institutions.
95
predicament.” 100
R e a l ly ! N o M e n ta l R e s e r v at i o n s
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