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More NewsFrom the Planning and Conservation LeaguePirates of the Capitol: Tentative deal reached in state budget standoff; budget results in weakening environment, labor protections
February 14, 2009 -- After months of negotiations, including the last
several weeks behind closed doors, the Governor and legislative
leaders of both parties have
reached a tentative deal to close the ballooning $42 billion state
budget gap. Both houses are expected to convene on Saturday for a
vote.
The budget stalemate was a direct result of unreasonable demands made
by both the Republican leadership and the Governor to roll back public
health and environmental protections and weaken labor standards.
It's clear that Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg and
Assembly Speaker Karen Bass managed to protect some important public
health and environmental programs. However, the lives and lungs of all
Californians took a significant hit in this deal.
We're particularly disappointed to see that the Republican leadership
was able to derail the implementation of the California Air Resources
Board's new rule to clean up polluting diesel equipment.
California has some of the worst air in the nation and the health of
many Californians suffers as a result. The dirty diesel construction
and farm equipment targeted by the rule is responsible for a sizeable
slice of our pollution pie. Cleaning up those sources was critical to
meeting federal air quality standards. If the state does not meet
those standards, it not only affects our health, we also risk losing
federal transportation funding.
Because of the ideological shortsightedness of Senator Cogdill and
Assembly member Villines, Californians will continue to suffer from
life-threatening air pollution, especially in the very districts
Republicans legislators represent.
A small minority should not be allowed to hold the entire state's
economy hostage and demand a ransom that they could never get in the
light of day because the vast majority of the public doesn't support
it. This is proof that we must overturn the antiquated requirement of
a supermajority vote to pass a state budget.
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