The roots of California’s inability to address its budget woes are statutory and political. The state, unlike most others, requires a two-thirds majority vote in the Legislature to pass budgets and tax increases. And its process for creating voter initiatives hamstrings the budget process by directing money for some programs while depriving others of cash.
In a Legislature dominated by Democrats, some of whom lean far to the left, leaders have been unable to gather enough support from Republican lawmakers, who tend on average to be more conservative than the majority of California’s Republican voters and have unequivocally opposed all tax increases.
And then there is Governor Schwarzenegger, whose budget woes far outweigh those of his predecessor, Gray Davis, whom he drummed from office in a 2003 recall that stemmed from the state’s fiscal problems at the time. The governor has failed to muster votes among lawmakers in his own party, whom he often opposes on ideological grounds, resulting in more scorn from Democrats.
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While the Governor is not blameworthy in isolation, it is ironic, as noted by the Times, that he replaced Gray Davis because of the state's budget troubles. What has Governor Schwarzenegger done in the meantime to resolve the issue that launched him into office? Has he spent any meaningful time really leading, educating Californians on what the options are for managing state revenue inflows and outflows in a more viable manner? No. Opportunity squandered. Leadership ducked.
