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So, what does Senator Maldonado, the reputed stalemate breaking vote really want?

On Monday, Maldonado said he would “take a look at” voting for the budget package if it included financial penalties for future legislators who fail to pass state budgets on time or drive the state into deficit. And Maldonado, who lost a 2006 bid for state controller to a more conservative challenger, said he wants future California primary elections to be “open,” allowing voters to cross party lines to cast a ballot.

Though widely believed to want to run again for statewide office, Maldonado said in an interview: “An open primary is for the people of California, it’s not for me. I don’t want anything in this budget that’s for me. I’m not for sale.”

Yet, Senator Maldonado has made it clear over the weekend what is on his WISH LIST.

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.”

It is obvious that the Senator wishes to run for California statewide office and wants his vote breaking the California State Budget Stalemate as a quid pro quo to help facilitate that result. However, what Maldonado does not understand is that by selling out California taxpayers, he will incur their wrath both Republican and Democrat.

The Democrat Leaders and Governor Schswarzenegger have played him the perfect fool. They will blame him as to holding up the proceedings and anything untoward as a result of the passage of the budget they will blame Abel.

So, rather than being an anti-tax hero in the GOP, Maldonado will be played a patsy by the Democrats and end his political career.

Not a smart move, Senator. Not for yourself or the California taxpayers.

In the meantime, California taxpayers can help persuade Senator Maldonado to not support the Big 5 budget deal with its concomitant tax increases. Here is his contact information:

Capitol Office

State Capitol, Room 4082
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 651-4015
Fax: (916) 445-8081
   
San Jose Office

100 Paseo de San Antonio, #206
San Jose, CA 95113
Phone: (408) 277-9461
Fax: (408) 277-9464

Monterey Office

590 Calle Principal
Monterey, CA 93940
Phone: (831) 657-6315
Fax: (831) 657-6320
   
San Luis Obispo Office

1356 Marsh Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
Phone: (805) 549-3784
Fax: (805) 549-3779

Shocking?

No, because California has been in financial trouble for some time now and RINO GOP Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is the main cause for his inability to lead and govern the Golden State.

So, where does California stand and what is the urgency?

Lawmakers adjourned tonight until Tuesday after failing for the third consecutive day to muster an elusive final vote for the state budget package.

The move came after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said he would send 20,000 layoff notices on Tuesday and other administration officials warned of construction stoppages if the $40 billion budget shortfall and the associated cash crunch are not resolved.

Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, said the Senate would consider the critical tax increase bill on Tuesday morning, whether or not a third Republican senator comes forward to provide the deciding vote. He said the house would stay in session until the package was approved.

“Bring a toothbrush, bring whatever necessities you need to bring,” Steinberg told senators as the house shut down for the evening.

The tentative deal would bridge an estimated $40 billion budget gap through a massive mix of program cuts, borrowing and new revenues, including vehicle license fee increases and higher gasoline, sales and personal income taxes.

Key elements require passage by a two-thirds majority of the Senate and Assembly – thus three GOP votes in each house.

The California State Senate will reconvene at 10 AM this morning and the tax bill will be taken up. Should the Big 5 Legislative Leaders not be able to persuade one GOP California State Senator to flip their vote for the California State Budget with tax increases, the stalemate will continue.

And, according to Democrat Senate Leader Steinberg, the Senators will be locked in the State Senate chamber until there is a resolution.

Here are the details of the Big Five crafted plan.

Revenue

The plan would raise up to $14.4 billion through June 2010 by imposing a variety of temporary taxes. The higher taxes would be in effect for two years. However, Republicans would allow taxes to remain longer – two more years – if voters approve a state spending cap during a special election in May.

Here are the specific taxes:

• Increases the state sales tax by 1 cent on the dollar, generating $5.8 billion through the next fiscal year.
• Raises the fee for licensing vehicles to 1.15 percent of market value, up from the current .65 percent. The move is projected to generate $1.5 billion. A portion of the fee will be dedicated to local law enforcement.
• Adds a 12-cent gasoline tax, raising $2 billion.
• Imposes a one-time, 5 percent surcharge on people who owe personal income tax at the end of 2009 to generate $3.2 billion. If the state receives more than expected from the federal government, the surcharge would be reduced to 2.5 percent.
• Reduces the amount taxpayers can claim on a dependent care credit to the federal level of $100 instead of $300, adding $1.4 billion.
• Redirects $201.6 million of tribal gambling revenue from the state Department of Transportation to the general fund over the two-year period. The money is intended to offset the effects of increased traffic around Indian casinos.

The GOP Senate Caucus does not support the above tax increases and insist that more cuts in state government spending be made.

Stay tuned as the California State Budget Stalemate continues.

Flap will be live microblogging the California State Senate Session on Twitter (in the right sidebar) ——>

Right?

“The One” needs to communicate with his handlers and told what to say to stay on message. Obama has proven to be a good speech deliverer but on policy/governance – well, not so much.

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Dan Walters at the Sacramento Bee has a good summary of the weekend’s machinations – which at the time of this posting seemingly has NO end in sight.

Even jaded veterans of the Capitol’s often bizarre internal politics had never seen anything quite like the weekend marathon over the biggest package of spending, spending cuts and taxes ever to hit the building – a spectacle that’s still playing itself out with no end in sight.

The package was cobbled together by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and four legislative leaders in weeks of private negotiations to close a $40 billion budget deficit over the next 16 months.

Legislators had just hours to absorb the dozens of bills, the most vital of which, under the state’s unusual voting rules, required two-thirds votes and therefore at least three Republicans in both legislative houses.

The outcome was never in doubt in the Assembly, whose GOP leader, Mike Villines, enjoys strong support among his colleagues. The issue has been the Senate’s 15-member, notoriously fragmented Republican contingent whose leader, Dave Cogdill, is always about one vote away from being dumped – if anyone else would take the job.

Cogdill would vote for the package along with Bakersfield Sen. Roy Ashburn, but the third GOP senator was elusive throughout the weekend as speculation – and outside pressure – shifted from one senator to another.

Flap has been covering and micro-blogging the events in the California Assembly and State Senate on Twitter (right sidebar) and Facebook (right sidebar, but below). Continuing coverage will resume at 9 AM PST (now pushed back to Noon) with the Assembly and 11 AM with the State Senate.

If you readers wish to watch the proceedings via live video you can do so in two ways:

• Time Warner Cable Television Channel 233 (Los Angeles area) – California Channel
• Online California Channel here (But, this has proven to be erratic due to too much traffic)

The latest rumor from the Capitol is that Senator Abel Maldonado is negotiating with Big 5 Legislative Leaders and Governor. He will provide the necessary vote to approve tax increases and the state budget in return for a vote on a spending cap initiative, plus a vote on a California Open Primary (Top 2 Washington Plan) election system on the May 19, 2009 special election (called to approve other budgetary enabling measures, including bonds for future lottery proceeds).

So, the question is: Will GOP Senator Abel Maldonado flip to the Democrats and Governor Schwarzenegger and sell out California taxpayers?

Contact one of his offices and ask him:

Capitol Office

State Capitol, Room 4082
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 651-4015
Fax: (916) 445-8081
   
San Jose Office

100 Paseo de San Antonio, #206
San Jose, CA 95113
Phone: (408) 277-9461
Fax: (408) 277-9464

Monterey Office

590 Calle Principal
Monterey, CA 93940
Phone: (831) 657-6315
Fax: (831) 657-6320
   
San Luis Obispo Office

1356 Marsh Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
Phone: (805) 549-3784
Fax: (805) 549-3779

Don’t you know we will receive a few crumbs of the exploding national debt – what is it $13 per week? And, some new infrastructure improvements that our children and grandchildren will pay for.

Such a deal.

In the meantime, the banking sector is still broken from all of those bad housing loans to unworthy credit home buyers that Democrats Barney Frank and Chris Dodd forced on the lenders.

So, the Obamas had a nice vacation on President Day in Chicago? Then, again how much did it cost in security and transportation for the President to travel there? If the bankers and auto CEOs are brow beat in Congress by Obama’s party about their private airplanes and perks, why not criticize “The One?”

Are we allowed?

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