How did it come to this? This year's state budget gridlock can be reduced to a single adjective: Dysfunctional.
Twenty-two years of failing to meet the constitutionally mandated budget deadline, years of financial gimmicks and borrowing to politically claim a budget was in place, and initiatives passed by the voters to tie the hands of the Legislature there is simply no more room to maneuver.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger urged residents to contact their lawmakers and demand that they step out of the ideological gridlock to end the budget stalemate.
The governor has offered a temporary 1-cent increase in the state sales tax with billions of dollars in spending cuts to address the $15.2 billion deficit.
A frustrated Schwarzenegger said at a press conference this week, "I think it is very important for the California people to know that while the state is 21/2 months late on a budget, and while there are severe consequences "... to education and health care and hospitals and law enforcement and firefighting, there are absolutely no consequences for the legislators."
I couldn't agree with the governor more. But is he or, more important, the California electorate prepared to do what is necessary to end the madness?
The long, drawn out budget debate is the result of the chickens coming home to roost. At whatever point California passes a budget will not diminish its need for political reform.
Redistricting
As long as legislators are granted "safe seats" they have no incentive to make tough budget choices or cross the political aisle in a bipartisan manner to strike deals. Moreover, as long as members of the Legislature are charged with redistricting there can be no progress.
California needs a bipartisan group that is not members of the Legislature to draw district lines for the Senate and Assembly with an emphasis on competition. This will not prohibit safe seats, but increased competition will enhance incentives to make budget deals. Get rid of the two-thirds vote requirement.
California is one of three states that employ this archaic system. A two-thirds majority vote in both houses only to approve a budget offers undo power to the minority and makes it difficult to compromise, which is key to the political process.
Revise Prop. 13
I know this is the third-rail of California politics. The mere mentioning of revising Prop.13 will blow-up my e-mail and voicemail, which will undoubtedly include my father. But there is a portion of Prop.13 that is not in the public interest and is costing the state annual revenue.
When commercial property is sold or merged, if the property stays technically deeded to the corporation that sold it, ownership of the property can change hands without triggering Prop. 13's provision that ties the amount of tax based on the property's resale value.
By using a "shell company" to hide behind, corporations have for 30 years benefited from a major loophole in Prop. 13, while the state has lost revenue. The result is an absurd situation where corporations owning commercial real estate could have a lower tax burden than private homeownership.
End term limits
If the other reforms were put in place, then the elimination of term limits would be the next logical step. California's reactionary and draconian term limits has not improved accountability within the Legislature. A redistricting plan would put the responsibility of term limits in the hands of the voter.
Clean money elections
California needs a volunteer, public campaign financing system, known as "clean money" like those in Arizona and Maine. The public financing system in Arizona and Maine has lowered overall campaign spending, has freed candidates from fundraising, increased turnout and encouraged more qualified people to run, which increases competition. Currently, Assemblywoman Loni Hancock's clean money bill is awaiting the governor's signature.
These reforms, if addressed comprehensively, will not create Nirvana. But something must be done.
If there is no reform that changes the way California does business all we should expect is the further immortalization of Yogi Berra's words because each budget debate hereafter it will feel like déjà vu all over again.