If you work for the Legislature, relax, you're not threatened by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposal to furlough state workers for one day per month and eliminate two paid holidays.
Schwarzenegger has no constitutional authority over the state's two other branches of government – legislative and judicial – so his "share the pain" proposal skips most Capitol doors.
Put simply, Schwarzenegger is asking lawmakers to pass an emergency bill to cut income of 232,000 state workers by roughly 5 percent – one day monthly – but not their own pay or that of the 2,043 legislative employees.
Assembly Speaker Karen Bass and incoming Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, both Democrats, could opt to impose a legislative furlough through their rules committees, but don't bet on it, because both oppose the governor's proposal.
Bass said her "first step" is to ensure that no state worker is furloughed, which would make inclusion of legislative workers moot.
"I won't comment on the second step, because I would resist it being imposed on state workers," she said.
"I would be concerned that some of the people who would have to take a pay cut, which is what the furlough is, would then be in jeopardy of losing their homes," Bass said.
Schwarzenegger, through a spokesman, declined to insist upon the Legislature imposing furloughs on itself.
"That's up to them," said Aaron McLear, Schwarzenegger's spokesman. "But certainly with an $11 billion shortfall, everyone in state government needs to be looking at ways to cut back."
Schwarzenegger plans to impose budget cuts on his own staff, "either with furloughs or staff reductions," McLear said.
Schwarzenegger's proposed furlough for state workers and elimination of Columbus Day and Lincoln's Birthday as paid holidays are tiny parts of an emergency plan sparked by a projected $11.2 billion revenue shortfall this fiscal year.
The reduction in hours worked, combined with other employee changes, would save about $320 million through June 30, according to the state Department of Finance. The furlough is meant to be temporary, through June 2010.
Steinberg, a former labor union attorney, said through a spokesman that sidestepping collective bargaining by imposing a furlough or reducing paid holidays clearly would be illegal.
Jim Evans, Steinberg's spokesman, said the Sacramento Democrat wants to focus instead on providing effective government.
"He thinks we ought to raise the money to pay for the administration of government – period," Evans said.
Schwarzenegger's finance officials disagree that the furlough plan is illegal, contending that through emergency legislation they could impose such cuts on any executive-branch workers not covered by a current labor contract.
Only sworn California Highway Patrol officers are operating under a current labor contract.
But Yvonne Walker, president of Service Employees International Union Local 1000, said the state cannot impose furloughs because it is bound to honor expired contracts until new ones are negotiated or an impasse is reached.
"I don't know if this is a real proposal by the governor, or if it's just another way for him to try to flex his muscle at the bargaining table or sway public opinion," Walker said.
Walker bristles at the possibility of arbitrary pay cuts, but also at the prospect that lawmakers could impose it on her union members – but not their own employees.
"If the theory behind it is that everybody is supposed to feel the pain, then everybody needs to feel the pain," she said.
Besides the Legislature, Schwarzenegger's furlough proposal cannot legally target employees of courts, the University of California or California State University, said H.D. Palmer, spokesman for the state Finance Department.
UC, CSU and the California Judicial Council have not discussed the possibility of furloughs, officials said.
Senate Republican leader Dave Cogdill and Assembly Republican leader Mike Villines said that any furlough imposed on state workers should be extended to legislative employees, but neither is committed to the governor's proposal.
Legislative staffers had mixed feelings about hardships imposed by a one-day monthly furlough.
"We're in hard times now," said Rocky Rushing, a Senate Democratic aide. "Any suggestion that takes away from one's ability to provide for their family is a difficult obstacle to overcome.
But Dan Brennan, a Senate GOP staffer, said he could make ends meet.
"Obviously, everyone's going to feel it," he said, and a 5 percent pay cut could place some aides in a bind. "But I think that most staff in the Capitol lives a relatively well-off existence."
Call Jim Sanders, Bee Capitol Bureau, (916) 326-5538.
