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Sacramento was in fact dysfunctional until the Democrats won a supermajority. Every year was brinksmanship with the budget. They have since lost that supermajor
by CalChris 8y ago
Sacramento was in fact dysfunctional until the Democrats won a supermajority. Every year was brinksmanship with the budget. They have since lost that supermajority; the CA Assembly is one seat short of a supermajority. Nevertheless, Republicans have been relatively well behaved knowing they have been punished and can be punished again by the electorate.
- dragonwriter 8y agoThe supermajority budget requirement was removed by ballot measure while the Democrats held a supermajority, so while they've lost it, not having it no longer creates predictable annual budget crises.
- CalChris 8y agoThanks, I remember this now. Prop 25 back in 2010 allows a simple majority for the budget. https://ballotpedia.org/California_Proposition_25,_Majority_Vote_for_Legislature_to_Pass_the_Budget_(2010) https://ballotpedia.org/California_Proposition_25,_Majority_... However, the same election voters passed Prop 26 which requires a 2/3 supermajority for levy and fee increases.
- dragonwriter 8y agoBoth the Prop 26 levy/fee supermajority and the pre-existing one for taxes can be bypassed by going straight to the voters, which Brown did for tax increases. The budget was the one thing where the supermajority requirement had no practical safety valve.
- CalChris 8y agoNo complaints about Brown going to the voters. It was the right thing to do. My complaints are about my soggy memory. They tried this 2/3 majority thing again. It's not hard nor is it especially expensive to get a ballot initiative passed, more so in an off election. Prop 8 passed the same election that Obama got elected. https://ballotpedia.org/California_Two-Thirds_Vote_for_State_and_Local_Revenue_Increases_Initiative_(2018) https://ballotpedia.org/California_Two-Thirds_Vote_for_State...