SACRAMENTO, Calif. — No budget? No paycheck.
That’s the edict of California state Controller John Chiang, who said Thursday he would abide by the wishes of voters who want to punish legislators if they fail to pass a budget by June 15.
“Presenting the governor with a balanced bud
get by the Constitutional deadline is the most important, if not most difficult, job of the California Legislature,” Chiang said in a statement. “In passing Proposition 25 last November, voters clearly stated they expect their representatives to make the difficult decisions needed to resolve any budget shortfalls by the mandatory deadline, or be penalized. I will enforce the voters’ demand.”
The intent of Proposition 25, approved by voters in the fall, is at the heart of Chiang’s directive. The measure lowered the threshold to pass a budget from two-thirds to a simple majority but also penalizes lawmakers if they don’t approve it on time.
Some legislators had hinted that they considered their job done by approving $11 billion in cuts as part of an early budget deal in March. But Chiang said a previously approved measure, Proposition 58, defines a completed budget to be a balanced budget, and the state’s revenues are still $10 billion shy of its obligations. Legislators must forfeit their salary — with no chance at back pay — and can’t claim reimbursements for travel and living expenses starting June 16 until a balanced budget is presented to the governor, Chiang said.
The issue could become thorny, given the low regard with which the public currently holds the Legislature. Only 17 percent of likely voters approve of the Legislature’s job, while more than three-fourths disapprove, according to a Public Policy Institute of California poll released this week.
“We know the public is very angry with the Legislature — they believe it’s the legislators’ responsibility to pass a budget on time,” said Larry Gerston, political science professor at San Jose State. “By listening to the public, they at least appear as if they’re not smacking the public in the face.”
Democratic legislative leaders, including Senate Leader Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, and Assembly Speaker John Perez, D-Los Angeles, said they will not challenge Chiang’s decision.
“I support the controller’s decision to withhold paychecks from the Legislature if we do not send a comprehensive, balanced budget to the governor by our Constitutional deadline,” Perez said.
“I was a vocal supporter of Prop 25, and I do not believe we should even be talking about loopholes or ways to get around that provision because our focus needs to be on doing our job and passing a balanced budget. We made progress in March, and over the next two weeks we will build on that progress and close out the remainder of the deficit by June 15th.”
Senate GOP Leader Bob Dutton, R-Rancho Cucamonga, had no objections, said spokeswoman Jann Taber.
“It’s the controller’s call,” Taber said. “Dutton will follow his lead.”
Once legislators start to feel the pinch of payless work days, however, they may not be so cooperative, Gerston said.
“I can’t imagine this going along without a lawsuit,” Gerston said.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
