Where is California’s overdue budget?
By Sacramento Bee
We’re more than 40 days into the state government’s new fiscal year. Democrats and Republicans still can’t agree on how to close the state’s estimated $19 billion deficit.
It wasn’t until recently, in fact, that Assembly and Senate legislative leaders settled on a detailed plan that has the support of both Democratic caucuses.
GOP legislative leaders and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger continue to push for the governor’s May proposal, though Republican lawmakers aren’t entirely on board.
The Republican governor says he thinks Democrats and Republicans are only about $4 billion apart in their negotiations. That is closer than anyone else is willing to suggest, but there are significant areas of agreement.