Schwarzenegger implores lawmakers to act…
Schwarzenegger implores lawmakers to act — again
By Mike Zapler | Bay Area News Group, Mercury News
SACRAMENTO — It's back to square one for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
A day after he vetoed a budget proposal that would have filled nearly half of the state's gaping budget hole, the governor called for yet another round of negotiations with Democratic and Republican lawmakers. Never mind that he's been doing that for months with no results; this time, an optimistic Schwarzenegger predicted, will be different.
"Today is the day we must turn the page," the governor said at a news conference in the Capitol. "Now it's time for all legislators to come to the table" and set aside their ideologies.
Legislators have bickered for much of the past year over how to close the state's enormous deficit, now projected at $41.6 billion through mid-2010. And Schwarzenegger has spent much of that time criticizing them.
Even so, the governor insisted, "I have faith in them."
Schwarzenegger appears to be betting that a crisis will finally break the legislative gridlock. The state controller has warned that the state will run short of cash to pay its bills in three weeks, forcing it to issue IOUs to employees, service providers and even legislators. Tax refunds may be delayed.
"We have three weeks before we go off the cliff," he said.
Schwarzenegger on Tuesday vetoed a $17 billion tax-and-cut package that Democrats pushed through the Legislature on a majority vote. He said that Democrats refused to adopt measures he sought to stimulate the economy, such as waiving environmental reviews on a dozen infrastructure projects and allowing the private sector to bid on more public works projects.
But by passing up that infusion of cash, the governor risks ending up with nothing if he fails to cajole the parties to compromise, which has happened repeatedly over the past year.
Contact Mike Zapler at mzapler@mercurynews.com or (916) 441-4603.
Mike Zapler