Lawyers representing Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Controller John Chiang will square off today at 1:30 p.m. in Sacramento Superior Court for a hearing on whether the contoller must pay state workers the federal minimum wage, currently $6.55 per hour, if lawmakers fail to pass a budget by the end of a fiscal year.
As we report in this story, Judge Timothy Frawley on Thursday tentatively ruled in favor of the governor. Frawley will issue a final ruling some time after today's hearing. Judges usually don't change their tentative decisions.
Remember, since the governor and lawmakers have budgeted money for state worker wages through the 2009-10 fiscal year, the earliest pay period that a budget delay could trigger wage reductions is July 2010.
That's assuming, of course, Frawley sticks with his tentative ruling and that Chiang doesn't successfully appeal it.
What does all of this mean to you? DPA set up this Web page last summer to answer questions about how the order would have affected state workers.
If you want to understand the issues more deeply, here's a list of significant documents that will give you plenty of context:
- Schwarzenegger's July 31 Executive Order S-09-08, which mandates the wage reductions.
- A transcript of the Schwarzenegger press conference announcing the Executive Order.
- Chiang's "I will not comply" letter of July 31.
- Chiang's prepared remarks to the Senate Governmental Organizational Committee on Aug. 4.
- DPA Director Dave Gilb's Aug. 5 pay letter to Controller John Chiang authorizing the pay reductions in accordance with White v. Davis. (You can read the State Supreme Court's ruling on White by clicking here.)
- The lawsuit brought by Gilb to force Chiang to comply with White v. Davis.
- Frawley's tentative ruling.
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