From WSJ.com:
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- California's legislature approved a plan Thursday morning to close the state's $42 billion budget deficit through steep cuts and new taxes, after state leaders corralled the last Republican vote needed to end a 15-week partisan impasse that has battered an already-crippled state economy.
State Sen. Abel Maldonado provided the required "aye" vote after senate leaders met his demands that certain state-government reforms be added to the budget proposal and that the plan be stripped of a gas-tax increase.
On Wednesday night, Mr. Schwarzenegger and Democratic lawmakers finally persuaded the 41-year-old Mr. Maldonado, a broccoli-and-cauliflower farmer from Santa Maria, to become the 27th and final 'aye' vote needed to pass the proposal in exchange for the concessions.
The changes made after negotiations with Mr. Maldonado include measures calling for the state to hold open primary elections and to stop pay raises for lawmakers in years the state faces a budget shortfall. Both reforms would have to be approved by voters, however. Legislative leaders also agreed to strip out the gas-tax increase.
Sen. Maldonado has made no secret of his ambitions to run for state controller. By caving in to Schwarzenegger and the Democrats, he won't have a ghost of a chance to win the GOP primary for state controller in 2010. Maybe that's why he wanted open primaries.
But Republicans and irate California taxpayers won't forget. Open primaries or not, Maldonado will have a lot of opposition against him.
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