Yes on Proposition 25

The most important election race in California this November is not the hotly contested contest for Governor between Jerry Brown and Meg Whitman. No, it isn't Carly Fiorina's attempt to unseat U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer, either. In fact, it doesn't even concern a candidate. Instead, it's Proposition 25. If you want to end the state's recent budget pattern of deficit and delay, vote yes.

The passage of 25 will do more to resolve the state's now-chronic budget woes than the victory of any candidate possibly can. Residents of the Golden State will remember that former Governor Gray Davis was recalled in favor of Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2003. One of Arnold's popular tag lines was that he would "fix the crazy budget in Sacramento." Davis faced a $6 billion debt his last year. At this the Governator has failed miserably. Every budget has been late, most of them out of balance by over $20 billion. A current budget is already a month late with no resolution in sight, and faces a $19 billion shortfall between revenues and expenditures.

The sad fact is that it isn't really Schwarzenegger's fault. It's the state's budget process. Specifically, it's because California is one of only three states to require a two-thirds vote to pass its budget. The other two are Rhode Island and Nebraska. This doesn't cause a problem in the Rhode Island legislature because that state is so overwhelmingly Democratic. In the General Assembly there are 69 Democrats and only 6 Republicans. In the State Senate they dominate 33 to 4 with 1 independent. It doesn't cause a problem in Nebraska's unicameral legislature because that state is so decisively Republican.

In California the Democrats are in the heavy majority but they don't have two-thirds. This allows 14 Republicans to block action in the 40-seat Senate and 27 to do so in the 80-member Assembly. The result is constant gridlock. When a deal is finally worked out, long after IOU's have been issued and money has been borrowed at interest, the Republican price is usually new tax reductions for business that ensures the next year's revenue will be short even more. No one is accountable. It's not a Democratic budget or a Republican one. The Republicans say the budget is a mess because the Democrats spent too much. The Democrats say it is a mess because the Republicans slashed revenue too much.

If Proposition 25 passes that will change. The Democrats will be able to pass their budget. They will pass it easily and on time. It will be the will of the solid majority. If it works they can claim all the credit. If it doesn't the Republicans will be able to assign them all the blame. The voters will have a clear record and choice upon which to base their votes for the next election, not a muddled situation in which each side can justifiably point fingers at the other. It's time to end the gridlock, restore majority rule (also known as democracy) and establish accountability. Vote yes on Prop 25 this November.