In addition to threatening to veto all bills until the budget is completed, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said at today's press conference that state lawmakers should forfeit their paychecks -- without any possibility of back pay -- as long as the budget remains unpassed.
"They shouldn't get paid, and they should never make that money back," the governor declared.
Noting that the state has passed an on-time budget only four times in the last two decades, Schwarzenegger said, "We have a budget system that has failed."
In part, he blamed a lack of "consequences" for lawmakers who fail to meet the annual deadline.
If lawmakers didn't get paid, "they would be thinking twice about that," declared Schwarzenegger, a multimillionaire from his acting days who does not collect his $200,000-plus state salary.
Currently, lawmakers not only are eligible for their full salaries during budget standoffs, but also "per diem" payments for travel and living expenses during session.
The budget is 37 days late and out of whack by $15.2 billion.
Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata declared negotiations on the spending plan to be at an "impasse" on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Assembly GOP leader Mike Villines has called on the Democratic leadership to put their budget plan -- which contains more than $9 billion in new taxes -- up for a vote, as soon as this Thursday.
"It's time we debate this budget proposal, which is a roadblock to negotiations, so we can get beyond it and craft the responsible, balanced budget Californians deserve," the Clovis Republican said.
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