The new state Legislature -- including 28 rookie Assembly members and 11 new senators -- will be sworn in today, and the big question is whether they'll be any better than their predecessors who refused to deal with the budget crisis. The budget gap is estimated at $28 billion over the next 20 months.
The biggest problem is the legislative leaders who will negotiate a budget deal are mostly the sames ones who ducked the problem last year.
In the Assembly, Speaker Karen Bass of Los Angeles and Minority Leader Mike Villines of Clovis remain in place. In the Senate, Minority Leader Dave Cogdill of Modesto continues in that position. Sen. Darrell Steinberg of Sacramento succeeds Don Perata of Oakland as president pro tem, but Steinberg has been in the budget negotiations recently.
So don't expect these "leaders" to do anything much different than they've done before, meaning continued posturing and an expected budget meltdown for the state.
The Bee's E.J. Schultz takes a look at the new lawmakers, including Assembly Member Connie Conway, R-Tulare, and Assembly Member Danny Gilmore, R-Hanford, in this story published today.
They can't steal us blind and fix it at the same time. But in all fairness, in a blue state we can't blame it all on the Republicans. Public Service has turned into a public ripp-off. It's nothing new, but that does not make it easier to bear.