Mern Þonke

It seems that Schwarzenegger has already got part of the control over education spending he seeks through the propositions to appear in the November ballot (see discussion in yesterday's post). The plot is summed up in an article in today's LA Times:

SACRAMENTO — Republicans in the Legislature spoiled an effort by Democrats to meet Wednesday's constitutional deadline for passing a state budget, calling the plan too expensive — although it differed little from the one proposed by the Republican governor a month ago.

Only eight Republican votes were needed for lawmakers to approve the $115.7-billion budget bill and send it to the governor's desk for his signature. But all Republicans in both houses voted no, saying they opposed some spending in the Democratic plan that was not in the governor's budget.

[snip]

The budget the Democrats presented largely conceded to the demands of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to limit spending in several areas. The lawmakers had abandoned their demand that he give $3 billion more to schools, and that the budget include new taxes on wealthy Californians.

Democrats did not want to wage a prolonged budget battle after Schwarzenegger this week called a Nov. 8 special election. They feared that a fight could motivate voters to pass state spending controls he helped place on that ballot.

In addition, the influential California Teachers Assn., which is threatened by that measure and one that could hamper unions' ability to fund political campaigns, counseled the Democrats — who benefit from union donations — to move on.

Although the budget will be slightly better for education than we feared it might be six months ago, the failure of Democratic legislatures to secure even more funding gives a good idea of where the political will is in California today.