California: Democrats pass budget without the support of any Republican representatives

◼ Agree to disagree: Legislators rely on simple majority, put an 'end to the era of late budgets' by beating deadline - Times-Standard

The move marked the first time since 1986 that legislators produced a budget by the June 15 deadline, with the Senate voting 23-15 and the Assembly 51-23 in favor of the main bill AB 98. Both votes were achieved with a simple majority and without the support of any Republican representatives.

Had the constitutional deadline not been met, lawmakers would have forfeited their salary and per diem pay starting immediately, amounting to $48,603.50 a day in savings for the state, according to data from the state controller's office. The docked pay -- in addition to the ability for lawmakers to pass a budget with a simple majority rather than a two-thirds vote -- are the product of last year's voted-approved Proposition 25, which is seen as the primary factor for the package being produced on time...

Unlike Brown's proposal from earlier in the year, the current budget does not seek to reduce California's “wall of debt,” estimated to be $35 billion. Democrats said that had tax extensions been approved in a special election -- something that became impossible after negotiations between both sides fell apart in March -- that figure would have been reduced to $6 billion.

Republicans said the budget package was a “missed opportunity,” and one that destroys job creation and continues the trend of spending more money than we bring in.

”We've been kicking the can down the road for the better part of 50 years. That's why we've gotten into this mess where we are today,” said Sen. Tom Berryhill, R-Stanislaus.

Republican Party Chair Tom Del Beccaro issued a statement following the Senate vote:

”Democrats have demonstrated that they are truly out of touch with the people of California. Instead of making the necessary and popular reforms to California's bureaucracy, the Democrats have chosen to pass a legally suspicious budget to save their own paychecks. It's now up to Jerry Brown to finally keep one of his promises, do the right thing, and say no to the Democrats' gimmicks-based budget solution.”