Legislative leaders disappointed over budget veto vow

Legislators of both parties in the state Capitol were disappointed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's vow Tuesday to veto the 2008-09 state budget when it reaches his desk and some went so far as to say that the flaws in the budget were the governor's own fault.

Assembly Speaker Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) pointed out that previous budget proposals with reform measures the governor backed died because he couldn't get any Republican legislators to support them.

"But Governor Schwarzenegger was not able to produce a single vote -  and the people of California were hurting -  so we stepped in to pass a compromise budget that, while ugly in many aspects, at least buys us time to make progress on the real reforms we need," Bass said in a statement.

She added that those reforms include eliminating the two-thirds vote required for a budget and overhaul of how the state brings in revenue, though Republicans, including Schwarzenegger, have called for a spending cap, rainy-day fund and other reforms.

Her GOP counterpart, Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines (R-Clovis), said his caucus shares Schwarzenegger's goals but conceded they wouldn't happen this year.

"In short, lawmakers did what the Governor asked," Villines said in a statement. "We came out of our ‘ideological corners' to pass a budget compromise that restores funding to vital services depended upon by our state's most vulnerable population."

In the state Senate, both Pro Tem Don Perata (D-Oakland) and Republican Leader Dave Cogdill (R-Modesto) said the governor's move was shortsighted, with Perata saying the governor's veto would give him a starring role in the state's financial disaster.

Cogdill added that he would vote to override the veto. A possible override vote could come by the end of the week, depending on when the governor formally vetoes the budget.

EARLIER on PolitickerCA.com:

• Schwarzenegger says he'll veto budget and other bills
• Passed budget may not be good enough for governor