Tuesday, September 16, 2008

78 days and holding: VETO BAIT

Sac Bee Capitol Alert | AM Alert

16 September -- Today we will see what Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger does with a budget that doesn't meet his demands for systemic change.

A marathon session of the Legislature ended at 2:30 a.m. The proposed compromise got the necessary two-thirds majority to pass the Assembly, 61-1, and the Senate, 28-12.

But lawmakers rushing to pass a budget plan were willing to approve just two of the three "budget reform" requirements the governor wanted.

Democrats, already moving a budget plan that rejects their tax increases in favor of borrowing billions from taxpayers, weren't willing to impose the restrictions on use of the "rainy day" fund that Schwarzenegger sought.

Schwarzenegger could make history by vetoing the spending plan. Then he could face an override.

Meanwhile, a new Field Poll shows Schwarzenegger's approval rating slipping -- to 38 percent, near his lows of 2005.

His approval/disapproval rating among Republicans is a dead split 45 percent to 45 percent.

As usual, find the exclusive statistical tabulations only on Capitol Alert.

Despite the low numbers, voters don't have much of an appetite to recall the governor.

Only 29 percent of those surveyed said they would support a recall. And 77 percent said a recall would be a "bad thing" for California.

If you're into math, that is at least six percent of people who said they would both support a recall and that it would be bad for California.

Funny, that's the kind of math balancing the state budget.

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