In an interview published Sunday with the German mag Der Spiegel, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said he didn't miss going to the GOP national convention because it lacked "bipartisanship." He compared the "hard core" who run the national party to California's GOP leaders: "I have almost no contact with them – none. Because they're just so out there." That should help round up those GOP votes for his budget proposal …
"Every day that passes without a budget increases the likelihood that we will have to have an exotic type of cash-flow borrowing that will add hundreds of millions to the deficit." – MICHAEL GENEST, state finance director, in a commentary published Monday in the Fresno Bee.
Schwarzenegger will make his case for his August compromise budget to Assembly Republicans behind closed doors today, after asking Assembly GOP leader Mike Villines last week to help set up a meeting with the 32-member GOP caucus. The Assembly, meanwhile, amended the governor's plan into a bill on Monday, making it eligible to be taken up as early as today.
