CA BUDGET ONE VOTE SHY OF PASSAGE: HOLLINGSWORTH IS ONLY SAN DIEGO-AREA SENATOR OPPOSED

[Liberty Belle]

Source: East County Magazine


February 17, 2009 (San Diego)—Efforts to pass a $40 billion state budget plan collapsed over the weekend due to Republicans refusal to support the plan, which fell one vote shy of passage in the Senate. The state has halted refund checks to taxpayers and payments to vendors, stopped 2,000 public works projects and announced plans to stop payments for foster parents and other social services because California has no more money. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has ordered furloughs for state workers and tonight said he will send lay-off notices to 20,000 people on Tuesday. Loans are no longer an option due to the state’s bad credit rating.

“I don’t know what it takes for people to believe this really is a crisis,” said Senator Denise Ducheny, (D-San Diego), chair of the Senate Budget committee, whose district includes Lemon Grove, Spring Valley, and some eastern portions of San Diego.

State Senator Christine Kehoe of San Diego, chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, also supports the measure, along with the rest of the Democratic Senators in Sacramento. But at least one Republican vote is needed, and thus far, the GOP has blocked passage despite the urging of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to support the latest measure, the Sacramento Bee reports.

Republican Senator Dennis Hollingsworth (photo), whose district includes most of East County as well as portions of Riverside County, issued a press release calling the budget plan a “disaster” for Californians. “Punishing every Californian by increasing their taxes, especially in a time such as this, is not only wrong-headed for the economy, it is simply morally wrong,” he said. “The people sent Republicans to Sacramento to be a blockade against tax increases. Once that wall crumbles, there will be no end to the expansion of taxes and spending,” he predicted, adding that people would “rightly figure they can vote for Democrats and at least stand a fair chance of getting their entitlements and programs along with tax increases. As Republicans, we will only remain as the party that gives them tax increases and no programs.”


Read more: http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/?q=node/563

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If you wish to voice your opinion to Senator Hollingsworth, our article provides handy contact info for his phones, faxes, and e-mail address.

Also please post some remarks in the "comments" section at the end of this story!

[barb162]

1. That idiot Hollingsworth sounds like the state should just not pay any more bills

I guess state workers and anyone who does business with the state of CA just doesn't need money to eat or pay the rent.

How totally pathological can these Republicans get!

[Liberty Belle]

4. He's one of the wackiest. More news: Hollingsworth calls for "God Squad" convention!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: LAURIE PAREDES
FEBRUARY 11, 2009 [phone]

Hollingsworth, Republicans Urge Governor to Call for Convention of “God Squad”
Federal Ruling on ESA Water Restrictions Devastating to State

(SACRAMENTO) Senator Dennis Hollingsworth (R-Murrieta) and 27 Republicans have sent a letter to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, urging him to call upon the President and the Secretary of the Interior to convene the Endangered Species Committee, or “God Squad.” The- letter requests an appeal of water restrictions on California as mandated by federal court rulings to protect the Delta smelt.

“Every drop of water is a valuable commodity in California and it is crucial that we protect what little we have,” stated Senator Hollingsworth. “We are not only facing a natural drought, but one that is court-imposed, which will only worsen our current economic situation and impact many California communities and farmers who are already facing severe water restrictions.”
Under the provisions of a 1978 amendment of The Endangered Species Act (ESA), a committee comprised of seven Cabinet level members called the Endangered Species Committee (nicknamed “the God Squad”) can be convened to hear exemptions from the ESA’s stringent provisions. The plea to lift the water restrictions complies with the exemption requirements, in that there is no reasonable alternative to the agencies’ action and that the action is of extraordinary regional importance. The Governor is the only non-federal official who can request the Committee be convened to relax the regulations.

Following two years of drought and the current dismal snowpack, California’s water reserves have become dangerously low and the court-ordered water delivery restrictions have diminished supplies from the state's two largest water systems by almost 30 percent.

“The Governor has wisely directed state agencies and departments to take immediate action to address the serious drought conditions that exist in California,” concluded Hollingsworth. “Republicans in the Legislature are hopeful he will take further action and request that the federal government intervene on our behalf as well.”

Attachments
# # #

Dennis Hollingsworth represents the 36th Senate District. The district includes Southwest Riverside County, North and East San Diego County, and portions of the City of San Diego.

[barb162]

7. Are people still moving into Southern CA?

It seems like there is about to be a drought disaster. Way too many people for way too little water. And I guess this dipshit Republican thinks Arnie is going to do what he wants when he won't go along with the budget.

PS I am glad to hear your guys got some rain today. :)

[Liberty Belle]

10. Lots of rain! Maybe Arnie will need to build an ark

[cyclezealot]

23. About time Californians take action.

Probably in the Red districts there are too many anti tax nuts. Do their kids go to schools.?..But, why not organize people to hold sit ins outside Hollingsworth's office. Lobby the jerk until he feels threatened someone might challenge his stale ideas.

[Left Coast2020]

2. I'm calling this asshole

I don't have the prospect of a job unless the state passes this f'ing budget. Hell, I can't get the friggin interview until it passes. I need a job. I'm in line for getting called, but this a*hole wants to hold up the entire state. Repugs make me sick.

[Liberty Belle]

5. Good luck finding work, and thanks.

[Liberty Belle]

12. Here's a poll you can take to help, too:

top right side of the page:
www.eastcountymagazine.org

[Journeyman]

3. So instead of laying off 20,000, just layoff those in Hollingsworth's district. . .

hHow long will he continue to oppose the budget, once the villagers circle his office with pitchforks and torches?

Other articles have identified State Sen. Dave Cox (R-Fair Oaks), as the intransigent ass. Let's do both he and Hollingsworth a favor and unleash the full fury of the state on their miserable souls. Put pressure where it will do some good.

But several hours after voting on the package of 27 bills began Saturday night, the momentum stalled. Sen. Dave Cox (R-Fair Oaks), who Democrats say indicated in private talks he was prepared to vote for the budget plan put together by the governor and legislative leaders, announced he would not support it. A spokeswoman for Cox said the senator was never on board with the budget plan.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-budget15-2009feb15,0,278140.story

[Liberty Belle]

6. yep, and cancel construction projects only in districts of the GOP holdouts

(which is all but 2 of the Republicans). They are truly holding the budget and all of us in California hostage.

CALL THEM ALL!!!!!

[YvonneCa]

27. Oh, no...please. Is his district Murrieta????

...That's me! :7

[Liberty Belle]

43. Yes. His district includes southern Riverside County and portions of San Diego's East County.

As of yesterday, hollingsworth was named the new LEADER of the Senate GOP. They picked him because he's a hard liner against any new taxes or fees, and it's predicted that budget talks will fall apart now with Hollingsworth at the helm.

He is a truly despicable person in my view -- Hollingsworth once voted to shackle the legs of women prisoners in labor. He has tried to dismantle the endangered species act. He voted against relief bills that would have helped fire victims in his own district, after pocketing huge campaign contributions from the insurance industry.

He's a real prince.

[KakistocracyHater]

8. I wish Arnie would use the last of his star-power

& call all the ceos & boards of the businesses who owe the State back-taxes & get them to pay it off; I don't want to hear excuses I want this done, I am sick of seeing individuals get their homes taken & their belongs due to not paying taxes yet corporations are above the law, it seems. I suspect the amount the corps. owe would close the 'gap'.

[No Elephants]

9. Maybe California will learn to stop putting Pubs in

Sacramento for 8 years at a clip, just because they're actors and have name recognition. Ronnie's de-regulation led to our current national economic black hole and Arnold sank California even further. Thank heaven the Constitution prohibts Arnold from running for President. As of the time Tim Russert died, Arnold still thought the Constitution should be amended so that he could run.

[Suji to Seoul]

13. Shitty actor, shitty governor. California brought this shit on itself.

Gray Davis was great compared to the shit you people have now.

HOW COULD CALIFORNIANS THINK THIS SCUMBAG GOVERNOR IN POWER!?!?!

[depakid]

14. California's so gerrymandered that seats don't change hands often

Regarding San Diego- and the no tax sentiment- I thought this was insightful:

San Diego is as good a test case as any. As my colleague, Tony Perry, wrote this week, supervisors have been pulled from the city's skateboard parks because there's not enough in city taxes or fees to pay for them. Now kids can skate without helmets, chug beer, scrawl graffiti -- all on city property. They're having a swell time.

That fits right in with what Perry called the political zeitgeist there: San Diego is the only really populous county in the state without a county fire department. It is also where fires have ravaged whole neighborhoods, and where voters so far have absolutely refused to tax themselves to pay for better firefighting. In one precinct in the town of Crest, which got savaged in the 2003 Cedar fire, voters stood 2 to 1 against the tax.

Are we in for a "let it burn" society? How many houses would the fires have to destroy in San Diego? How many kids would have to crack their skulls at an unsupervised skate park, and their parents sue the city for negligence, before we would wise up?

Where's the bottom? Where is California's breaking point?

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/sunday/commentary/la-oe-morrison15-2009jan15,0,484169.column

[rpannier]

17. The BS form of Gerrymandering began with Willie Brown

He made sure his friends Dem and Rep got the State and Federal Districts created to suit them
It's been downhill ever since

[CreekDog]

30. It's Prop 13, not the gerrymandering

Prop 13 in 1978 instituted unconscionable caps on property taxes (both residential AND commercial)...all in the *name* of preventing seniors from losing their homes to rising property taxes. Prop 13 also instituted the 2/3 vote requirement for passage of a budget in the Assembly and Senate.

[rpannier]

32. The previous comment mentioned how difficult it was to get rid of these people

because of how California is Gerrymandered.

The method they've been using was devised by Willie Brown to protect and reward his friends in both parties

[CreekDog]

33. Gerrymandering is everywhere, Willie Brown did not invent it

budget problems of this scale are not everywhere

the origin of the problem is actually Prop. 13 rather than gerrymandering.

[kimmylavin]

20. I remember that.

And when the people in San Diego complained about there not being enough equipment to fight all the fires, the chief (maybe chief? well, someone high up) was PISSED, and pointed out that the city had continually voted down more money.

[Liberty Belle]

11. Take this poll: Should Holilngsworth vote for the budget?

www.eastcountymagazine.org

top right side of the page

[rpannier]

16. Voted.Thanks

I think this needs to be framed as a law-and-order issue.

Should Hollingsworth unemploy more police officers by voting NO

How about...
Should Hollingsworth vote no with the result more firemen and police are laid off?

How about...
Even though Hollingsworth's No vote will result in higher unemployment and cuts in police, fire, education and medical emergency services do you stand with him?

[rpannier]

15. Uh yeah... Whatever

The GOP...The Givers Of Poverty

[cboy4]

18. I'm not defending this guy, but your OP is very misleading

and inaccurate.

Only TWO Republicans in the entire senate have agreed to vote yes.

And the person to pressure the most is a moderate Republican and our best hope:

State Sen. Abel Maldonado (R-Santa Maria) was viewed as the most likely candidate to provide the final vote, but by Monday evening legislative leaders had not agreed to his demands. The dominant Democrats need three Republican votes in each house to pass the budget; leaders in the Assembly said the votes were available in the lower house.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-budget17-2009feb17,0,1851008.story

[CreekDog]

31. he was on the radio this morning saying he will vote for the budget if CA adopts open primaries

nevermind that open primaries cannot be mandated because the Supreme Court ruled that parties are private and can make their own rules to choose their candidates.

and nevermind that this means nothing is wrong with the budget he is saying he won't vote for. :banghead:

[Liberty Belle]

42. Sorry, I left out this part: Hollingsworth is new Senate GOP LEADER

The Republicans kicked out their prior leader yesterday because he was about to cave to the Dems, and elected Hollingsworth instead because he's a hard-liner on no new taxes.

Media outlets are predicting budget talks will collapse now with Holllingsworth in charge.

Our article has been amended with that info.

[4lbs]

19. Ah, yes, Hollingsworth.

:eyes:

He who represents El Cajon and KKKlan-tee ... err.... Santee.

[Maat]

22. Ah, yes .... that wonderful little town.

I'm still going to go down to that creation museum one day (or is it still open?).

[slackmaster]

26. The ICR Museum is still open and still free

It's a hoot if you have a half hour to kill while you are waiting for your tires to get changed or something.

[Maat]

36. THAT does it ...

we're planning a field trip!

[YvonneCa]

28. Santee is my...

...hometown. :(

[Maat]

21. He allegedly represents me.

I say that, because, he refused to talk to us one day as he came out of the Murrieta, Ca. post office. Of course, we were at the local UCC (liberal denomination) church having a peace vigil. He smoozed with the "opposition" across the street, who were pro-war. My friend yelled, "Hey, Dennis, come talk to us. We're your constituents, too!" Hollingsworth ignored us (maybe shook his head before that), and went to his car.

We later found out that he had told the opposition, "They're just the minority," or something like that.

Then, some of my friends ... uh ... attended the local "Murrieta-Temecula Republican Assembly," and he became peeved when one of them tried to ask a question about the quarry they are trying to stop. He's for it, of course - ruining the last local wildlife corridor and putting potentially dangerous quantities of silica dust into our air (for info., please go to http://www.sos-hills.org/).

Of course, I'll raise a stink with his office about this, but I won't be holding my breath, in terms of it doing any good.

My impression has always been a major asshat - and here's even more proof.

I'll get on this after I get some sleep.

[YvonneCa]

29. Me, too. n/t

[Maat]

37. I join you in your sadness (or bummed-outedness).

HeeHee.



:-( :hug:

[YvonneCa]

38. 'Bummed-outedness' is the perfect...

...word. :7 :hug: When is he up for re-election? Something needs to be done. ;)

[Maat]

39. Well, my buddies are on the local 'Central Commitee,'

for the Dems.

They told me he's up in 2010. Let me make some inquiries and let you know. They will let me know who volunteered to run.

Dems are certainly working on registration efforts right now. No time like the present to get things started.

I will make a note to PM you (send you a message) when I get some info. on how we can help un-seat him.

We will work together to rid our district of this malaise!

[YvonneCa]

40. Thank you. That sounds fantastic. n/t

[Maat]

41. Cool! 'Talk' to you soon! (n/t)

[2Design]

24. /tI hope they are holding up the paychecks of these congress critters so they get the point n

[damntexdem]

25. Hey, California has recall -- remember Gray Davis?

So, if enough Californians are upset in one or more districts, they can get rid of their misrepresentatives.

[EFerrari]

34. Except we don't have the money. Recalls are expensive. n/t

[shanti]

35. i thought it was cox?

good grief...