California Democrats show their unwillingness to cut programs for the poor

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.sacbee.com/2012/06/12/4554855/democrats-show-their-unwillingness.html#storylink=omni_popular

By Kevin Yamamura
[e-mail]
By Kevin Yamamura The Sacramento Bee
Last modified: 2012-06-12T15:40:51Z
Published: Tuesday, Jun. 12, 2012 - 12:00 am | Page 3A

As budget negotiations continued Monday, legislative Democrats gave the clearest indication yet they will not cut as deeply into programs for the poor as Gov. Jerry Brown wants.

Assembly Democrats released a blueprint that includes a smaller rainy-day fund and rejects most of Brown's cuts to welfare-to-work, In-Home Supportive Services, child care and Cal Grant scholarships.

They referred to their plan to bridge a $15.7 billion deficit as "the Legislature's 2012-13 budget." But Senate Democrats released their own budget agenda that contained no recommendations on how to deal with Brown's safety-net cuts, and spokeswoman Alicia Trost said the final deal could be different from the version the Assembly put forth.

Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, and Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez, D-Los Angeles, met Monday with Brown, though they have not yet struck a final budget deal. The two legislative houses will hold separate budget committee hearings today with an eye toward sending Brown a budget on Friday, the constitutional deadline.

[teddy51]

1. Jeez, does that show a difference between Democrats and Republicans, or what?

[KamaAina]

2. Gov. Brown is a Democrat

well, at least he has a (D) after his name.

Basically, the problem here is that it takes a two-thirds majority to raise any revenue at all, and the repukes have collectively held their breath until they turn purple rather than allow us to do that. So it's either make Greek-style austerity cuts like Brown wants, or keep looking for change under the sofa cushions (example: $62 million from a nearly defunct scholarship fund) like the Assembly wants.

[teddy51]

6. I wasn't referring to Gov. Brown, I was referring to the fact that the Dems. would do the

right thing where the Republicans would just leave the poor and less fortunate to take the fall. I also understand that Gov. Brown is between a rock and a hard place with his budget.

[kelly1mm]

3. Actually, the difference is between the Democratic Governor and the Democratic Legislature.

The changes the Assembly is putting forward are reductions in the cuts proposed by Jerry Brown, not the Republicans

[teddy51]

7. I'm saying that if it were a Republican Legislature, they would not give a crap. Just let the

poor suck it up.

[turtlerescue1]

4. WHAThappened to Jerry the Jesuit?

[NNN0LHI]

5. California Proposition 13 (1978)

[KamaAina]

8. Mrs. Jerry the Repuke

well, ex-repuke, or so she claims. Come to find out, Anne Gust's daddy was Mittens' dad's running mate in Michigan back in the day.

[turtlerescue1]

9. ah ha moment.

Been gone too long to know...thanks.