California GOP Senators Hanging Tough on Budget

The Dems in Sacramento have to get 3 Republicans to vote for their tax increase-loaded budget, but they're having problems:

Reporting from Sacramento -- Lawmakers are in lockdown in the state Capitol after an all-night session has failed to result in passage of a budget, as GOP legislators troubled by the plan's tax hikes demand last-minute concessions.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders spent the early morning hours scurrying to round up a final Republican vote believed to be needed for the plan to pass out of the Senate. Lawmakers and staff said there was enough GOP support for Assembly approval.

Republican and Democratic leaders had expressed confidence late Saturday night that the Legislature would finally break its three-month logjam and approve a bipartisan proposal to close what is projected to be a $41-billion deficit by the middle of next year.

But several hours after voting on the package of 27 bills began Saturday night, the momentum stalled. Sen. Dave Cox (R-Fair Oaks), who Democrats say indicated in private talks he was prepared to vote for the budget plan put together by the governor and legislative leaders, announced he would not support it. A spokeswoman for Cox said the senator was never on board with the budget plan.

Other GOP lawmakers launched into floor speeches sharply critical of the $14.4.billion in tax increases. Some also used parliamentary maneuvers hoping to delay the vote.


The budget package includes several concessions that minority Republicans have been seeking for years. Among them are $1 billion in tax breaks for businesses and constitutional limits on government growth. Other concessions were targeted at several GOP lawmakers, such as redevelopment and transportation funds for their districts.

Despite the continued horse-trading even after voting started, there had been a sense of momentum in the Capitol most of Saturday night, with lawmakers and staff expressing cautious optimism the package would be approved overnight – until Cox announced he was not on board.

Rank and file lawmakers were ordered early Sunday morning not to leave the building as their leaders work furiously to secure another vote. One clear target is Sen. Abel Maldonado (R-Santa Maria), a moderate who has parted ways with his caucus in the past. The governor held a meeting with Maldonado in the early morning hours.

At least three Republican votes are needed in each house to pass a budget, which must be approved by a two-thirds majority of the Legislature.

Thank you, Senator Cox. Let's hope Sen. Maldonado hangs in there. If he doesn't, he's through as an elected Republican.

The source of California's budget problems is not a lack of taxes, it's an overabundance of spending. Until they figure that out in Sacramento, the state is in big trouble.

UPDATE: Maldonado votes NO and the Senate can't get 3 Republicans to defect (2 have, but not a third). Pressure's on.

UPDATE 2 from Flap: The only GOP Sen. to vote AYE for CA tax increases is GOP Leader Cogdill, Sen Ashburn will vote yes but only when 3rd vote is found.

Me: He won't be GOP leader long.