I'm not sure why Sen. Dave Cogdill, R-Modesto, would want to continue serving as Republican leader in the Senate, which only has 15 GOP members in the 40-seat house. Cogdill's party has stuck it to him, even after he held out for a budget deal that has made huge gains for Republicans in several keep areas.
But GOP members in the Senate could be handed the keys to every agency in state government and and they would refuse to take them if they came with a hint of a tax increase. Cogdill is no tax-and-spend guy, and he refused to give his approval to a budget deal for seven months. Now he knows the deal on the table is the best he can get -- even with tax increases.
But his party told him to shove it this Valentine's weekend. There's no love in the GOP caucus. Three Republican votes are needed in the Senate to reach the two-thirds requirement, and only two have stepped forward. The other 13 think not being part of the solution equals political courage.
Cogdill should tell the rest of the caucus that if someone can do a better job, then elect a new leader. Cogdill is too classy of a guy for that kind of maneuver. He may get dumped anyway, but it won't be because he didn't serve the Republican Party.
Cogdill knows you can't take California off the cliff by not dealing with this problem. But his members don't seem to care that they will further damage the precarious economy by not solving the budget problem.
I pointed out the tax increases and the Republican gains in a previous blog posting. I'll repeat them here.
Taxes: A 1-cent hike in the state sales tax; a 2.5% surcharge on state income taxes; a 12-cent per gallon increase in gasoline taxes at the pump; an increase in the vehicle license fee from the current 0.65% of the vehicle's value to 1.15%.
Spending improvements: There's a spending limit, as well as an enhanced "rainy day fund." There are incentives for businesses to invest in California and hire out-of-work Californians. There are tax credits for small businesses to hire new workers, and it would clarify laws regarding work schedules so employees have more flexibility to manage their time. (Small businesses wanted these provisions). Two paid holidays for state workers are eliminated and the proposal will end the overtime pay abuses in which government workers use holiday and sick time to receive extra overtime pay,
Under the proposal, the state will actually spend significantly less money than it did the prior year. This is in real dollars, not some phony reduction in a programmed increase in spending.
But those gains could be tossed out the window because of the tax increases, which are unavoidable now because the Legislature refused to deal with budget reforms last year. Meanwhile, the budget hole gets bigger because the stalemate allows the state to continue spending more money than it takes in.
Cogdill has done his best for California taxpayers. His caucus has not.
Raising taxes at all will only hurt ca more. I dont know if youve noticed but really good businesses are fleeing ca because of taxes and regulation, they simply cant stay here and remain competitive in the national nor the global market. This argument isnt about the senate or the government or the governor or Cogdill or Boxer or Feinstein. Its about survival, and the government is killing business. All businesses accross the board are cutting back in order to survive, the government just keeps on growing and giving themselves raises as though they created this economy in the first place. Its really quite outrageous, they havent got a clue as to what it took to create the wealth which has been created by business, they only know that they like it and that they want more!
Why is everyone blaming the republicans
Why not Demacrats agree with you know who.
I applaude the republicans for standing up
for us tax payers. Cogdale is wrong
OUR GOVERNOR IS A TURN COAT AND SHOULD BE
OUTEST FROM OFFICE
Taxpayers voted for keeping lawbreakers in prison and funding schools to the max but times were good and no one looked for hard times in the future/ We ousted Gov Davis for letting the budget get to 5 billion over run...could have been temp. repaired with auto license raise. Gov Swartz.comes in and borrows money with no way to repay it. Now 42 Billion and growing.....where"s the recall on him????
As I recall (no pun intended) the California Correctional Peace Officers made that proposal. I supported it for my own reasons, the lead bullet ban in deer hunting zone D7 being foremost. I wrote here on the subject asking folks to put aside their union objections for a good cause. However, unless they own the idea some folks simply don't recognise opportunity when it falls on their heads and refuse to form meaningful coalitions. Then for whatever reason the Union dropped the idea. I dream of a successful revisitation of that effort, sign me on.
It does not make sense because people have not grasped the enormity of the plan to make America (the map) red. And they don't care how they wipe out the blue. "...there is nothing new under the sun..." (Ecclesiastes.) Last century we saw the brown fill a political map. Your Latter Day Sybilla.
Ideals are important. Parties need them as a framework from which to approach problems. Parties need to be true to their ideals to a certain point; however, in a world where people have different ideals, perspectives and solutions there comes with it a certain amount of compromise. Life is seldom all or nothing. Working toward a budget solution is not a war of ideals. It is the process of putting together a compromise for the best possible solution based on the circumstances. Both parties have been in power at one time or another and neither's ideals have been foolproof. Seems to me that is an argument to quit the posturing and start compromising and working together to come up with some solutions. Neither side is right. The middle class is the backbone of this country and we are buckling under the burden; we can't shoulder many more taxes. The taxes proposed are significant. When the middle class fails, this country fails and the signs are there already. With a hole as deep as the one California is in, taxes aren't the only answer and cuts aren't the only answer. They better find the correct balance and get it done; soon it will be too little too late.
I differentiate between ideals and ideology. The Republicans are all ideologues. They call themselves politicians, perhaps even leaders, but they are just a bunch of Jarvis-Gann paleolithic knee-jerk ideologues who stopped thinking 25 years ago. Compromise? Not a word in their dictionary. Of course it makes sense to have balanced budgets in California because a good credit rating makes borrowing money (often necessary) minimally expensive. The ideological mindlessness of the Republicans will make sure California has to pay the highest possible interest rates in the future. Good work!!! What the state needs is a global recall.
I am a registered indepenent and I thank them for holding their positions on this matter. You seem to feel they are at fault. I disagree. What has caused this imbalance are salaries that are way out of line such as the correctional officers. Retirement plans that have gone beyond being reasonable, such as 3% at 50 for emergency services. How about this woman with 14 kids and what we are paying for medical and child care? I have no problem helping those with a legitimate ailment. But there are way to many people out there who will not get off their *** and do some work. I work hard for my money and I don't like giving half of it away to people who are to lazy to work. The hell with all these do gooder social problems and supporting illegal aliens. tHE BUDGET HAS DOUBLED IN THE LAST 8 YEARS!!!! IF YOU ARE HAPPY PAYING ALL THESE TAXES MAY I SUGGEST AN ADDITIONAL VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTION ON YOUR PART! I
would rather spend it on my family.
All of your points are well-taken, but they are largely red herrings in the context of the legislature not being able to pass a budget. The Republicans NEED to understand they are in the minority. Didn't George say something not too long ago about elections having consequences? Obstructionism is just that, nothing else.
I agree with you about the creeping welfare state, prison guards union, people not willing to work hard, people not having the will power to eat properly and exercise and get diabetes that I have to pay to treat (no mention of that issue in the last two days worth of front-page articles in the Bee!). Personal responsibility is in short supply in Fresno these days. Do I sound a little like Lloyd Carter now?
But these are issues that need reality-based analysis to deal with, and the Republicans in Sacramento are living in 1973 reality.
With this map that has been used to create risk free districts we may be outnumbered but who knows for sure. You should pray that we are not because if we lose incentive to work and if we are in the minority, all the users(non producers)are going to have to turn on each other to survive. If you mean a 1973 reality is one where you live responsibly, pay your bills, raise your children with morals and ethics,put money away for a rainy day, and in general live a wholesome life, it is to bad that there are not not more out there doing the same.
Stephen,
Are taxes now too low in California?
Can the economy withstand a 12 cent gas tax?
Does it make sense that voters have to vote on a spending cap when Democrats and Republicans could just vote to not spend money at a rate above revenues?
Are Democrats idealogues for constantly pounding the drum for more and more spending without any measurable results?
Just curious.
"The Republicans NEED to understand they are in the minority." Stephen
So? Should that negate our opinions or principles? The beauty of a constitutional republic is that the majority is restrained from eliminating the rights of the minority. (I know the libs wish it were not so!).
BTW, I fear that in the end the GOP will cave in! I pray that it is not so; But the pressure to give in must be tremendous. I’ve said it before: our state is ungovernable.