Thread: Schwarzenegger challenges lawmakers to chop state budget

Schwarzenegger challenges lawmakers to chop state budget

By Susan Ferriss
sferriss@sacbee.com
Published: Saturday, Nov. 13, 2010 - 12:00 am | Page 3A

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger challenged legislators Friday to chop billions more from the state budget in a special session in December, adding that Democratic Gov.-elect Jerry Brown has said he backs that effort.

"I talked to Governor-elect Brown, and he's all for it," Schwarzenegger said after examining hybrid cars at the Sacramento International Auto Show at Cal Expo.

"I don't buy into that lame-duck thing, you know," the Republican governor added, explaining his decision to call legislators together on Dec. 6, the day that newly elected lawmakers are sworn in. Brown takes office in January.

The stated purpose is to tackle an estimated $6.1 billion shortfall in the current year's budget. The Legislative Analyst's Office attributed the new deficit estimate to overly optimistic projections and unanticipated revenue losses.

As voters chose Brown, they also approved Proposition 22, which instantly whacked about $800 million out of the budget. The measure forbids some transfers of local revenues to state coffers.

"Eventually, those legislators are going to find out that there is no choice but to make these cuts," Schwarzenegger said. He won't endorse tax hikes as a deficit solution.

With the new GOP majority in the U.S. House, the governor added, California can't expect the federal government to plug shortfalls. He suggested that with the election over, legislators might find it easier to make cuts.

Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, said he's fine with a special session and accepts that cuts will have to made.

"But I'm not going to take a meat cleaver approach" to cuts in December, he said, adding that he'd rather make cuts after Brown takes office in combination with proposals to reshape state government.

"Everything we do," he said, "is going to be in consultation with the governor-elect."

Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez, D-Los Angeles, shared that sentiment, saying he doubted a special session represents a "serious solution."

Brown's representatives said in a statement that he respects Schwarzenegger's right to call a special session to address the current-year deficit.

"While the governor-elect did not create this fiscal crisis," the statement said, "he will continue to collaborate with the administration and legislators to address these enormous challenges."

On Friday, Schwarzenegger said that once he's out of office, he intends to keep stumping for his renewable-energy agenda, with plans to push the issue with Congress.

He celebrated the defeat Nov. 2 of Proposition 23, which would have suspended his signature law on greenhouse-gas emissions.

Decked out in steel-toed cowboy boots, Schwarzenegger savored beating the oil companies that funded the measure: "We made it clear if those interests push us around, we'll push back."

JERRY BROWN

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