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2007 Budget: Proof Positive That We Must Preserve 2/3 Vote Requirement To Pass Budget And Raise Taxes
The Republican Party of Orange County regularly solicits the views and news of the state and federal delegation. Please read this week's Op-Ed by California State Assembly Candidate Larry Dick
While there remains spirited debate over the details of the recently passed 2007 State Budget one thing is abundantly clear, the Constitutionally required 2/3 vote threshold for passage stopped a budget that would surely have been a treasure chest of pork barrel spending by the democrat majority.
Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines and Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman maximized Republican leverage against the powerful majorities in their respective chambers and the taxpayers owe them a debt of gratitude and a heartfelt thank you.
While not perfect, this budget is clear proof that the 2/3 vote required to pass a budget protected working families of California, and job creating businesses from a majority more concerned with protecting Big Labor, Trial Lawyers and radical environmentalists.
Now we hear that a Senator from the Bay Area plans to support an amendment to the State Constitution to reduce the 2/3 vote requirement to a majority vote.
That’s just wrong and not the will nor in the best interests of California taxpayers.
Remember that the Democrats hold a 60% majority in the Assembly and a 62.5% majority in the State Senate, reducing passage of the budget to a simple 50% majority would virtually assure a field day for the liberals in budgets to come.
The liberal majority bemoan the fact that the 2/3 vote restricts their power and they are right! Many scholars point to the First and Second Amendments as perfect example of how our Founding Fathers sought to assure that the majority did not infringe upon the rights of the minority.
Consider if you will that almost 66% of California voters cast ballots in opposition to the union sponsored Proposition 56 which sought to reduce the vote requirement to pass a state budget and to raise taxes. It is clear that the Founding Fathers were ahead of their time and thankfully ahead of ours.
I have submitted a resolution to the California Republican Party that offers its members the opportunity to memorialize the Republican position on preserving the 2/3 vote requirement to pass the state budget.
We need to support our Assembly Republican Leader Villines and Senate Republican Leader Ackerman and their caucuses from a majority who will stop at nothing to eliminate the 2/3 vote threshold. If the Democrats are successful in reducing the 2/3 threshold, you know all too well that Proposition 13 will be next on their list to attack.
Thanks to the solidarity of the legislative Republicans the 2/3 vote requirement resulted in a budget that spends less than the Democrats wanted, ensured transportation and water projects will not be held up by extremist environmental lawsuits, stripped language that would have line the pockets of the Trial lawyers engaged in Medi-Cal lawsuits and even achieved long sought school equalization funding.
Now more than ever, we need to protect the minority from the majority, now more than ever we need to empower our Republican legislative leaders. No more than ever we need to preserve the 2/3 vote required to pass the State Budget.
This assault on our constitution calls for us to protect and defend......protect the 2/3 vote requirement for budget passage and defend the bank accounts of the California taxpayer.
Larry Dick is a Director of the Orange County Taxpayers Association and serves as a Director of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Any essays, opinion-editorials, press-releases or news item contained herein is the expressed view of the author and not necessarily of The Republican Party of Orange County (also known as OCGOP.org). OCGOP.org should not be held accountable or responsible for the content associated with these writings. The literature that is provided to you, the user, is for your convenience, entertainment and education and are not to be seen as endorsed by OCGOP.org for any products, services or views promoted by said author.
Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines and Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman maximized Republican leverage against the powerful majorities in their respective chambers and the taxpayers owe them a debt of gratitude and a heartfelt thank you.
While not perfect, this budget is clear proof that the 2/3 vote required to pass a budget protected working families of California, and job creating businesses from a majority more concerned with protecting Big Labor, Trial Lawyers and radical environmentalists.
Now we hear that a Senator from the Bay Area plans to support an amendment to the State Constitution to reduce the 2/3 vote requirement to a majority vote.
That’s just wrong and not the will nor in the best interests of California taxpayers.
Remember that the Democrats hold a 60% majority in the Assembly and a 62.5% majority in the State Senate, reducing passage of the budget to a simple 50% majority would virtually assure a field day for the liberals in budgets to come.
The liberal majority bemoan the fact that the 2/3 vote restricts their power and they are right! Many scholars point to the First and Second Amendments as perfect example of how our Founding Fathers sought to assure that the majority did not infringe upon the rights of the minority.
Consider if you will that almost 66% of California voters cast ballots in opposition to the union sponsored Proposition 56 which sought to reduce the vote requirement to pass a state budget and to raise taxes. It is clear that the Founding Fathers were ahead of their time and thankfully ahead of ours.
I have submitted a resolution to the California Republican Party that offers its members the opportunity to memorialize the Republican position on preserving the 2/3 vote requirement to pass the state budget.
We need to support our Assembly Republican Leader Villines and Senate Republican Leader Ackerman and their caucuses from a majority who will stop at nothing to eliminate the 2/3 vote threshold. If the Democrats are successful in reducing the 2/3 threshold, you know all too well that Proposition 13 will be next on their list to attack.
Thanks to the solidarity of the legislative Republicans the 2/3 vote requirement resulted in a budget that spends less than the Democrats wanted, ensured transportation and water projects will not be held up by extremist environmental lawsuits, stripped language that would have line the pockets of the Trial lawyers engaged in Medi-Cal lawsuits and even achieved long sought school equalization funding.
Now more than ever, we need to protect the minority from the majority, now more than ever we need to empower our Republican legislative leaders. No more than ever we need to preserve the 2/3 vote required to pass the State Budget.
This assault on our constitution calls for us to protect and defend......protect the 2/3 vote requirement for budget passage and defend the bank accounts of the California taxpayer.
Larry Dick is a Director of the Orange County Taxpayers Association and serves as a Director of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Any essays, opinion-editorials, press-releases or news item contained herein is the expressed view of the author and not necessarily of The Republican Party of Orange County (also known as OCGOP.org). OCGOP.org should not be held accountable or responsible for the content associated with these writings. The literature that is provided to you, the user, is for your convenience, entertainment and education and are not to be seen as endorsed by OCGOP.org for any products, services or views promoted by said author.
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