The California Assembly met again on Saturday in what was scheduled to be the final day of the Legislature session. But there is still no agreement on a state budget that is two months overdue. The State Senate on June 29th approved its version of a 99 billion dollar spending plan for the fiscal year that began July first. The impasse in the Assembly now in its 62nd day, has set an all-time record for failure to reach agreement on budget action in that chamber. Majority Democrats need four Republican votes in the Assembly to approve a budget. It would deal with a more than 23 billion dollar shortfall in state revenues.
Republicans have said they will not support a proposed three-dollars-per-pack increase in the cigarette tax, and other tax boosts proposed in the Democrats´ plan. Republicans have called for more spending cuts, although they haven´t spelled out what programs should be cut.
This post was last modified on 01/31/2009 5:33 pm