The impasse shows the Senate GOP’s rightward shift and the limits of the governor’s influence. Strain between Perata and Nuñez is also felt. For all of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s cheery talk of newfound “post-partisan” collaboration among Californian lawmakers, this month’s impasse over state spending shows that fractious political jockeying, personal distrust among leaders and individual electoral ambitions still can derail business at the Capitol reports the Los Angeles Times.
Senate GOP leader Dick Ackerman’s reluctance to sign off on a state budget, now 28 days overdue, has been hardened by his need to appease disgruntled conservatives in his 15-member caucus.
That group’s resolve has also stiffened compared with previous years as some of its members seek better jobs that rely on the party base’s support.
And Schwarzenegger’s ability to negotiate a compromise, which has never been great, has waned further as he has staked his second term on an alliance with Democrats, leaving legislators from his own party feeling abandoned. It hasn’t helped that Democrats earlier this week called the GOP holdouts guilty of “fiscal terrorism.”
One of the more amiable Republicans, Ackerman (R-Irvine) narrowly survived an attempt to oust him last year by promising to be less accommodating to the Democratic legislative majority, which has relied on a few GOP defections to assemble the two-thirds support needed to pass the state’s spending plan.
“The problems we had before, we didn’t have unanimity,” said Sen. Jim Battin (R-La Quinta), who challenged Ackerman last year. “A deal was made and a deal was delivered with the bare minimum votes. When it was done differently, as Dick said he would, we’re now very comfortable with his position.”
Read it here: State Budget Hindered