Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger says the fastest way to resolve the state deficit is to lock him up with legislators a room for three days - and ban bathroom breaks.
"All we have to do is lock ourselves in a room for three days and not go outside - and not even be allowed to go to the bathroom," Schwarzenegger said Monday while touring a training facility in Fairfield. "And then we’ll be getting upset because it starts smelling in the room a little bit. And all of a sudden, we will come to an agreement."
It's unclear how effective his potty ban would be. Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata unsuccessfully locked down the Senate last summer during the 52-day budget stalemate. Though they had to sleep in chairs, senators were given food and allowed to visit the loo.
Schwarzenegger suggested the lockdown after a reporter asked him about the threat of teacher layoffs due to the state's $8 billion budget shortfall for next fiscal year.
"It’s very important that the legislators do not wait until June or July to start negotiating the budget because on March 15 the schools already have to decide which schoolteachers they have to lay off and which to stay," said the governor, who missed an Education Coalition rally opposing school funding cuts at the Capitol. Schwarzenegger was visiting the Northern California Carpenters Training Facility to promote public-private partnerships.
The governor insists his door is open.
"My office is open seven days a week, 24 hours a day ... they can come down, bring their proposal and we can fix the budget system and the budget before March 15."
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