California Governor Vetoes Budget

By JENNIFER MEDINA

Published: June 16, 2011 comments (39)

LOS ANGELES — Gov. Jerry Brown of California on Thursday ’vetoed the state budget that the Democratic-controlled state Legislature had passed the day before, saying that the proposal merely papered over the state’s long-term deficit and added billions in new debt.

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The veto means that the governor will have to reopen negotiations with the Legislature to try to get his plan to close a $10 billion gap approved. In order to pass that plan, which relies on extending some taxes that were set to expire this year, Mr. Brown needs votes from two Republicans in each house, support that has so far been elusive.
Mr. Brown, who has railed against budgetary maneuvers that the state has relied on for years to balance its budget, placed the blame on Republicans and commended lawmakers from his party for their “tremendous efforts” to balance the budget, but said that the plan approved Wednesday was not balanced.
He said the budget contained “legally questionable maneuvers, costly borrowing and unrealistic savings,” and that it would not meet the state’s financial obligations.
“A balanced budget is critical to our economic recovery,” he said in his veto message. “I am, once again, calling on Republicans to allow the people of California to vote on tax extensions for a balanced budget and significant reforms.”
He added: “If they continue to obstruct a vote, we will be forced to pursue deeper and more destructive cuts to schools and public safety — a tragedy for which Republicans will bear full responsibility.”
While many lawmakers said that they had expected the governor to continue to negotiate with Republicans, few expected him to veto the budget entirely.
Among the reasons legislators scrambled to pass the stop-gap budget plan by Wednesday’s deadline was that state law called for them to have a full day’s pay docked for every day the budget was late. Since they passed a budget by the deadline, their pay will continue unimpeded, despite the governor’s veto.