Dan Walters' Capitol Q&A

Question: Being of (mostly) Irish descent, I enjoy a good argument.
I have long maintained that things have gone downhill since the state politicos went full-time. I maintain that more considered policies obtained when they had to return to "real-life" after the sessions were concluded. I prefer to be right with my opinions (facts). Am I?
-- Terry Buchanan, Citrus Heights

Answer: I think you have a point, one I have made in my columns, but there's more to it than that. The state has changed immensely in both size and complexity in the 41 years since the full-time Legislature was approved by voters and circumstances and voters have thrust upon the state many additional responsibilities, such as financing education, that largely didn’t exist then. The structure needs a radical overhaul, and returning to a part-time Legislature might be a piece of it, but in the absence of many other changes, merely returning to part-time wouldn't solve the problem any more than term limits did. And it might make it worse.
--Dan Walters

Question: On health care reform, do you think the governor will go the ballot route if the legislature doesn't act? If so, what do you think the odds would be of a ballot initiatve succeeding?
-- John, San Ramon

Answer: He may do so, but it could succeed only if he had a broad consensus from business to support it and provide campaign funds.
--Dan Walters

Question: Can the Governor and the DL agree on a well thought out, workable health-care reform bill by mid-September? If not, how likely is a ballot initiative?
-- Joy, Newcastle

Answer: It's no better than a 50-50 chance that something will happen by mid-September. Schwarzenegger said this week that if the effort fails he may pursue a ballot measure.
--Dan Walters

Question: With the budget problem locked into the Constitution, what does Perata think his "Budget Revision Panel" can do? They can't undo Proposition 98, 13 or any of the other formula locks, can they? Nor can they roll back federal and judicial mandates, can they? What does he really think his panel could accomplish?
-- Hilary, Bakersfield

Answer: You are correct, but it could recommend changes in those laws and/or a change in two-thirds vote requirement on budgets and taxes. It could also suggest procedural changes within the Legislature on how the budget is fashioned.
--Dan Walters

Question: Do you think the Republicans are carving themselves further into irrelevancy among California voters with their budget antics?
-- Russell, Sacramento

Answer: They may be making themselves more relevant within the Capitol but the jury's still out regarding the larger public. A Field Poll on that issue is due later this week.
--Dan Walters

Question: To your knowledge, is the state's accrual for future state employee health care and retirement benefits up to date?
-- Johnathan, Moraga

Answer: The trust fund for retiree benefits is, as far as anyone knows, fully funded, but the state has not set aside money for retiree health care and pays for it on an annual basis. New accounting rules will require state and local governments to calculate their liability for retiree health care and report it, although there's no mandate to fund it. It is expected, however, to spur calls for creating health care trust funds. The state's liability has been roughly calculated in the $70 billion range.
--Dan Walters

Question: My elected representatives are not doing their jobs: get the budget passed! Where can I express my displeasure at this poor "job performance?"
-- Aneatra Harper, Roseville

Answer: At the ballot box.
--Dan Walters

Question: On which issues does the legislature require a super-majority, and is any other state as demanding?
-- Joshua Carlin, Carmel

Answer: Bills raising taxes, appropriating money and taking effect immediately as urgency measures all require two-thirds votes, along with constitutional amendments for submission to voters. I'm not sure about other issues, but only two other states have supermajority vote requirements for budget.
--Dan Walters

Question: Whatever happened to redistricting -- either through legislative action or as an independent initiative?
-- John W., San Ramon

Answer: Redistricting reform initiative pending, but Capitol talks on this issue and just about every other major issue, such as health care, have taken back seat to budget impasse. No one knows how long that will continue.
--Dan Walters

Question: Who moderates the comments on your column?
-- Mike Darnell, Sutter

Answer: I do.
-- Dan Walters