Cities and Counties Balk at Plan for State Spending Cap (Schwarzenegger)

[Judi Lynn]

June 8, 2005 latimes.com

Cities and Counties Balk at Plan for State Spending Cap
By Evan Halper, Times Staff Writer


SACRAMENTO — The spending curbs at the center of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's plans for a fall special election could deprive cities and counties of hundreds of millions of dollars for police, firefighters, healthcare and social service programs, local government leaders say.

On Monday, Schwarzenegger is expected to call the special election to bring the spending measure, the Live Within Our Means Act, and other initiatives before voters Nov. 8. But city and county leaders — until now largely the governor's close allies — have been meeting privately with administration staff members, urging them to back off from the proposal.

County officials, in particular, say they will work to defeat the measure unless the governor somehow strikes a compromise with legislators — already hostile to the spending restraints — that explicitly protects the money.
(snip)

The gathering resistance is a significant setback for Schwarzenegger. Cities and counties have been among his loyalists, sticking with him as other public-sector groups waged a bruising public relations attack on him over an earlier measure affecting their pensions. The governor abandoned that proposal after analysts said it would end benefits for survivors of public safety workers.
(snip/...)

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-cap8jun08,0,3413514.story?coll=la-home-headlines
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[nadinbrzezinski]

1. ok boys he wants to privatize all

[salin]

2. time for regular "house parties"

ala Dean and other dems in the primaries - where folks congregate at homes across the state in a conference call with various city and county officials to discuss the impact of the referendum and what can be done. Each time bring different people - get more and more people not just aware - but personally invested and committed to work against the referendum and arnie. A real grass roots opportunity in the making.

[leesa]

3. See Arnie...it would have been a lot easier to manage the budget if

you hadn't helped your energy barons to steal 9 billion from California.