Sen. Abel Maldonado has become a popular guy around the Capitol as Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders on Monday continued to court him as the potential 27th Senate vote for the state budget. Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg met with Maldonado once this afternoon to discuss his interest in providing the final vote.
The Santa Maria Republican told reporters Monday outside his office that his list of demands includes four things. He wants an open primary system similar to those used by local governments in which the top two vote-getters regardless of party run in the general election. The system is said to favor moderate candidates, such as himself, rather than encourage primary hopefuls to woo voters at their party's extremes. He acknowledged he plans to run for statewide office, but sold the open primary as more of a "good government reform."
The open primary change would have to be approved by voters. Maldonado did not specify when he wanted it, but sources said he has asked that it be included on the May special election ballot before Maldonado attempts to run for statewide office next year.
Maldonado wants two items sure to be unpopular with his colleagues. He wants a law passed so the state would stop paying lawmakers if they do not approve the budget on time. He also wants a ban on legislative pay raises and per diem increases in years when California faces a budget deficit. An independent board, the California Citizens Compensation Commission, currently sets legislative pay.
And he threw in one last item: remove the pork spending from the budget package. He didn't specify what qualified as pork, but leaders already have provided small sweeteners for various members to help win their support, such as $35 million annually for Orange County, where Sen. Lou Correa lives. Maldonado also wants to block state Controller John Chiang from spending $1 million on new office furniture, something Chiang's office said was approved before Chiang was elected.
Maldonado sounded amenable to only getting part of his wish list, however. "I think government reform is a priority. It could be one, it could be two, at the end of the day, I want government to be reformed."
The four demands have little chance of receiving two-thirds support in the Legislature.
Steinberg, D-Sacramento, suggested it would be virtually impossible to place an open primary election on the May 2009 special election ballot.
"A major change in how we elect a governor or how we elect constitutional officers or legislators definitely needs more public vetting, so I don't see that as a part of any agreement in the next day or two," Steinberg said.
Regarding other items Maldonado requested, Steinberg said, "The one that sounds potentially doable, that sounds reasonable -- in fact good public policy -- is to not allow the Citizens Commission on legislative salaries to ever raise our salary in a time of a budget deficit. That makes a lot of sense. I think it makes good sense."
As negotiations continue, the Senate has set floor session for 6 p.m. after previously scheduling it for 11 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m.
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