by Armand Vaquer
The nightmarish budget compromise signed into law by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger can be overturned by the voters.
The compromise, as it is written, calls for several ballot measures to be placed on the ballot for a May 19 special election.
From the Washington Post.com:
The budget compromise requires voter approval of five ballot measures during a May 19 special election. Those measures would set a cap on state spending and institute a rainy-day fund, authorize the state to sell bonds based on future lottery revenue, shift money from certain social programs and guarantee billions more for schools.
A sixth measure, placed on the ballot as part of last-minute deal-making to pass the budget package, would be a constitutional amendment to freeze lawmakers' pay when the state runs a deficit.
Another constitutional amendment, planned to go before voters next year, would create an open-primary election system.
The compromise deal, which is intended to cover the state's spending needs through the rest of this fiscal year and next, cuts $15.1 billion from programs, primarily education, and raises $12.8 billion in revenue, mostly through increases in the sales tax, personal income tax and vehicle license fee.
If the voters approve these measures, the tax increases will supposedly be only "temporary" for two years. If they fail, then the tax hikes will be for three years. Some deal, eh? To me, this is a lose-lose situation for Californians.
But we can fight back!
However, as we have a system in which voters an get their own ballot propositions placed on the ballot, we have an escape hatch.
Why not have the voters put a budget proposition on the ballot that would have it based on the 2005 California budget and then adjusted for inflation up to 2009? Spending in California shot up around 40% since 2005.
This way, the people will dictate to the loons in Sacramento on what we are willing to pay for and taxed. It's time to fight back!
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