Sneaky in Sacramento
Republicans in the Legislature already fulfilled their end of the bargain two years ago when they dialed back their demands for larger pension contributions from state employees. They also backed down on deeper cuts to Medi-Cal and social services, and agreed to delays in business tax cuts. Those Republicans should be considered heroes even by those unhappy with the terms of the bargain. At least they were willing to deal. But their colleagues warned them they were just being suckers because Democrats wouldn’t live up to their promises. If Democrats had stood by the deal and simply kept the measure on the 2012 ballot, the example of the few maverick Republicans could have shown the way for future lawmakers to stick their necks out and reach deals for the good of the state.
But Democrats reneged. SB 202 delays the vote on budget reform for two years, to 2014. Now nothing stops them from continually putting it off, and eventually killing it.
No wonder Gov. Jerry Brown couldn’t get a single Republican to agree to a tax measure this year. GOP lawmakers see — accurately — that Democrats can’t be trusted to abide by any bargain for long-term reform.