Schwarzenegger: Lawmakers, voters get budget blame

[Kadie]

Schwarzenegger: Lawmakers, voters get budget blame
BY JULIET WILLIAMS, ASSOCIATED PRESS,
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2010 AT 12:30 P.M.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Friday pointed the finger at lawmakers and California voters for the $6 billion deficit in the state budget he signed just a month ago.

The Republican governor sought to deflect blame for the deficit, even though the rosy revenue assumptions he and lawmakers used were widely reported when they approved the $86.6 billion spending plan and Schwarzenegger signed it on Oct. 8.

"I think that the Legislature, as you know, did not finish their job the last time," he told reporters Friday. He said he proposed $12.5 billion in cuts, but they agreed to cut only $7.5 billion.

When asked why he signed a budget that was inadequate, Schwarzenegger denied that he knew a deficit would open up almost immediately.

"Sorry to correct you, because we did not know when we did the budget that the people of California would vote in favor of not being able to take $2 billion from local governments," he said, referring to voter approval on Nov. 2 of Proposition 22, which prohibits the state from borrowing from local governments.

"We also today, we don't know if the federal government is going to give us the money that they owe us or not," Schwarzenegger added.

more...
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/nov/12/schwarzenegger-lawmakers-voters-get-budget-blame/

[Ian David]

1. What an Economic Girlie-Man