Special Election a Big Yawn While Sacramento Voters Defeat Budget Messures
May 20th, 2009 Categories: Sacramento Economy, Sacramento Politics
As expected, Sacramento area voter turnout Tuesday for the Special election was very slight. Many who did show up told posters the only reason they cast a ballot was to send a message to lawmakers.
The special-election ballot agenda crafted by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and California legislative leaders that would have propped up the states budget was defeated soundly yesterday.
The defeat of the budget package will push the California State budget to a $21.3 billion deficit.
According to the Special Election Results From Twitter; so far at 4:29 this morning it shows: State proposition vote count update: 1A 34.1% yes, 1B 37.4% yes, 1C 35.4% yes, 1D 34.3% yes, 1E 33.6% yes, 1F 73.9% yes
Governor Schwarzenegger and other legislative leaders released these statements Tuesday night.
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger:
“Tonight we have heard from the voters and I respect the will of the people who are frustrated with the dysfunction in our budget system. Now we must move forward from this point to begin to address our fiscal crisis with constructive solutions. We face a staggering $21.3 billion deficit and in order to prevent a fiscal disaster, Democrats and Republicans must collaborate and work together to address this shortfall. The longer we wait the worse the problem becomes and the more limited our choices will be. That is why tomorrow, we will come together to begin to develop a budget solution that gets our state back on track.
“We must also continue to fight for real, comprehensive budget reform that brings stability to California’s budget process and forces the state to save in the good times so that we do not face these kinds of deep deficits, devastating cuts and tax increases when the economy takes a downturn. I have been working to accomplish this kind of reform since I was elected in 2003 and I will keep working toward it because we cannot allow this harmful and out-of-control budget process to continue.”
Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento):
“The voters have spoken and they are telling us that government should do the best it can with the money it has. We will immediately and responsibly get to work to balance the budget and head off a cash crisis in July. Delay is not an option. The necessary decisions we must make will only get harder with time.”
Assembly Speaker Karen Bass:
“There are many difficult choices and a lot of hard work ahead of us. We now have to responsibly fill the budget hole that has been caused by the national recession and deepened by the failure of today’s ballot propositions. I hope the bipartisan cooperation between the Legislature and the Governor that went into this effort will continue as we move forward – the people of California clearly expect us to work together to get the job done. And we will. I do want to thank tonight the teachers, firefighters, business leaders and other Californians who worked in support of these propositions in hopes of warding off more devastating cuts to vital services. Their commitment to a better California should be appreciated by everyone on both sides of these initiatives.”
Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines (R-Fresno):
“My goal in placing these initiatives on the ballot was to start to get our budget under control and help California begin to live within its means. Even though voters did not support our approach, I believe it is clear from this election that voters want the Governor and the legislature to achieve both those goals. The biggest mistake we could make in the aftermath of this election is not enacting serious reform.
“California has a big problem moving forward. We need a spending cap now more than ever, and only through spending reform and reductions will we be able to get California back on track. I believe California can emerge from this crisis fiscally sound and strong, but there is a long and difficult road ahead.”
Senator Dave Cogdill (R-Modesto):
“California voters may have sent state leaders back to the drawing board, but it’s not a mandate to abandon reform. Until we break this circle of dysfunction, California will be plagued with chronic budget deficits. Ensuring government lives within its means is the only way to prevent the boom-bust cycle that keeps repeating itself.”
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