L.A. Times - George Skelton

To fix the budget, first fix the state

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Six simple rules for remodeling the government

Once again, Capitol politicians are fighting over how to fix the chronically bleeding state budget. And again, the answer should be clear: It's unfixable.

Budget patch job is better than IOUs

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

The Legislature's majority Democrats and minority Republicans and Gov. Schwarzenegger must compromise to keep the state from running out of money.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Legislature are down to two options: Compromise or watch in embarrassment as the great state of California issues IOUs. Also known as scrip.

California has no money and few options

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

There's no time this year for the ritual denunciations and feigned anger. Republicans and Democrats have work to do.

Call it the Dance of Death, the Kabuki or the Summer Follies -- the performance they're about to give in California's Capitol is a necessary ritual. But it shouldn't be taken very seriously by the outside world.

Democrats are going to need prodding to reach budget accord

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

State Controller John Chiang is predicting July 28 as the state's 'meltdown' day.

Animal analogies come to mind when somebody asks, "What is going on in Sacramento with the budget deficit?"

Note to budget doctors: Don't spare the knife

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Treasurer Bill Lockyer tells Democratic lawmakers that voters are angry and want them to solve the fiscal problem now.

Bill Lockyer has some simple, blunt advice for Democratic legislators struggling to make painful budget cuts: Just assume you're not going to get reelected. Then dig in and slash.

Nightmares come true for the neediest

Mon, 8 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

There is more pain ahead for elderly, disabled and poor Californians.

Jean called the other day from her desert condo near Palm Springs. She'd been notified that the state was cutting back again on aid for the disabled and she was worried.

California has a golden opportunity to return to local control

Thu, 4 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

A 'realignment' of state and local government is needed to reconstruct their tangled, unhealthy relationship since the passage of Proposition 13 in 1978.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger invoked Winston Churchill on Tuesday in trying to rally legislators to mop up the state's gushing red ink.

If it's good for baseball, maybe it's good for the budget debate

Sun, 31 May 2009 19:13:00 -0700

A man who knows his way around Sacramento and studies the national pastime suggests arbitration.

Here's an idea from out of left field for how to finally end California's losing streak with state budgets. It is called "baseball arbitration."

Schwarzenegger follows Brown's route

Mon, 25 May 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Both changed direction when California voters rebelled.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger must be reading the playbook of a previous California governor in trying to recover from his thumping in last week's election.

Distrust of lawmakers came through loud and clear

Thu, 21 May 2009 00:00:00 -0700

The Senate and Assembly should take their cue and pass a balanced budget by July 1.

California voters sent Sacramento a mixed and somewhat contradictory message Tuesday. But the politicians' response should be unequivocal. They should fix the budget themselves, right now, and not dither over any pain it inflicts.