When Republicans in the state Legislature finally unveiled a budget proposal the other day, they made the audacious claim they had "proven you can balance California's budget without raising taxes."
They'd probably have a better chance of selling such elixir if they rolled up to the Capitol in covered wagons, yelling: "Snake oil! Snake oil! Get your snake oil here!"
Take a close look at the GOP plan, and you'll see it depends on a borrowing gimmick that will only extend the budget crisis to next year. That means lawmakers will be right back in 2009 trying to decide between a tax hike or cuts to public schools.
In short, the GOP plan would worsen next year's budget deficit so lawmakers could avoid tough decisions this year. That's not fiscal responsibility. That's not leadership. Nor have GOP leaders been honest about how their plan would work.
For more than two months, the minority party has been playing a game of cat and mouse with the budget. Since a two-thirds vote is required to pass a spending plan in California, Republicans have been able to vote down, or stifle debate, on budget proposals that would include even the most modest of tax increases.
At the same time, Republicans refused to reveal how they would close a $15.2 billion deficit without tax increases, mainly because they feared the backlash.
"A few years ago, the Republicans tried doing that and got the living hell beat out of them by the press and the Democrats," said Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, R-Irvine, speaking on the "John and Ken" radio show in late August.
Yes, sir, political accountability can be a merciless master. But obstruction can only take you so far. Eventually, GOP leaders had to unveil a budget plan, and now they have.
Too bad they couldn't bring themselves to propose a responsible one.
To close the gap, the GOP proposes to cut more than $3 billion from the state's current safety net for the poor and infirm. Disabled couples dependent on Supplemental Security Income would receive $342 less per year. Cuts to home care programs would shift costs to counties – effectively borrowing from local governments, which Republicans say they don't want to do.
Another dishonest aspect of the GOP plan: It would borrow nearly $2 billion from future California Lottery earnings, without expanding the potential pool of the lottery.
The Department of Finance doubts that this raid would survive a legal challenge, but even if did, it would threaten future funding for public schools. In effect, the state would be forced to choose between paying back creditors and providing schools with mandated revenues from the lottery.
Why would the GOP want to create this fiscal nightmare? Why would they want to further threaten the state's public education?
We have a suspicion that many longtime Republican leaders – senators such as Dick Ackerman of Irvine and Dave Cox of Sacramento – don't want anything to do with this snake oil. As much as they dislike taxes, they'd hate to be party to another "get-out-of Dodge" budget that would hurt education. That would be a terrible way to end a career.
Like last week, the next one will be crucial. This will be one that will separate the statesmen from the snake-oil salesmen, and the partisans from the public servants. Above all, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will have to remain resolute in his vow to veto an irresponsible budget bill.
This state cannot afford to extend the budget crisis until 2009. To quote Yogi Berra, that would be "like deja vu all over again."
