Don't miss Peter Schrag's very perceptive new column on the long-term sources of California's budget woes. It's an excellent description of the ways in which in which the short-term wants of the most affluent voters destructively prevail over the long-term needs of the vast majority in the "culture of contentment."
At the Capitol, the pleasing sounds of hooey Sacramento Bee 12/17/03
In any case, the Republicans, all grumps notwithstanding, were the big winners, a legislative minority that for years has been influencing macro-policy in California far beyond what you'd expect from their numbers.
Depending on where you sit you can cheer or lament that, but if the Republicans hadn't held their troops together, driven down state revenues with tax cuts in the fat days and blocked all tax increases in the lean days, the state's budget problem would have been fixed long ago.
And yes, the state would be spending more, maybe not deferring billions in transportation projects, letting the schools rot for another generation and keeping its credit rating out of the toilet.
The chief instrument of the GOP victory was the two-thirds vote that's required to pass budgets and raise taxes in California. And since it takes only a majority to lower taxes, the tax process of late has been a one-way street. But give them credit: They hung tough.
Still, let no one say they weren't playing to a sympathetic house. Tax-cutting has become religion. For all the protests and demonstrations about cuts to education, health care and cops and firefighters, there remains that fatal disconnect between the high level of services people expect and the low level of taxes they think is required to pay for them.
Schrag's commentary on the bond deal and related agreements is also very informative.
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