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State Budget Finally Passes
TO: CLA Members/ Systems/ Network Contacts
FROM: Mike Dillon, CLA Lobbyist; Christina Dillon, CLA Lobbyist
RE: News From the Capitol
This afternoon, the Senate passed the State Budget and accompanying "trailer bills" that were previously passed by the Assembly on July 20th. Late yesterday, Senate and Assembly leaders met with the Governor in hopes of reaching an accord, and then both Houses scheduled and rescheduled Floor Sessions until 10:00 p.m. last night. This morning, an agreement was reached on a number of pending details, which paved the way for Senate Republican Minority Leader, Dick Ackerman, to provide the 27th necessary vote for passage. In casting his vote, he was joined by the 25 Democrats, and Republican Senator Abel Maldonado, who earlier committed to voting for the Budget.
As one long-time consultant commented to us this afternoon, "Rarely has passage of a Budget been postponed for so long over so few differences."
The Budget and corresponding "trailer bills" are now on their way to the Governor for action. You will recall that the Budget contains a $1 million augmentation for the Public Library Foundation (PLF), which would bring the baseline figure for the fund up to $22.3 million. However, as a condition of the Budget's passage, the Senate Republicans have asked Governor Schwarzenegger to use his so-called "blue pencil" to veto up to $700 million in additional spending in the Budget bill. We will keep you posted as to the status of the PLF once the Governor acts.
Posted on August 21, 2007 4:41 PM | Permalink