A minorlegislative scandal has rocked California, and from the looks of it,all that pro-Proposition 1F sentiment wasn't just sentimental. Despitethe pleasant 60 degree weather, the winter of California's discontentcame rushing to Sacramento after Speaker Karen Bass and Minority LeaderMike Villines proposed pay increases for their staffers numbering close to half-a-million dollars.
If those pay freezesfor California legislators didn't seem appropriate a few weeks ago,it's worth betting that most of California's voters feel likesupporting them now, and nobody can blame them.
What may be in greater danger is the campaign behind Proposition1A, which both Villines and Bass support, along with GovernorSchwarzenegger. 1A, which proposes a temporary tax increase and aspending cap on California's budget, is virulently opposed byCalifornia's grassroots, and those politicians campaigning for it canbe easily stereotyped as establishment Sacramento figures who have losttouch with the concerns of the average voter. One Fresno area blogger made as much clear, writing "The backlash to the pay hikes was so fierce that Bass rescinded theraises faster than Simon Cowell's head spun after hearing Susan Boylesing. But Bass' initial decision shows how out of sync legislativeleaders are with the people who pay the tax bills."
Of course, the errant legislators in question have done their best to repair the damage. Both Bass and Villines have rescinded the pay hikes, with Bass herself saying "she was concerned that the increases, which averaged 5%, had become adistraction from the campaign she is leading for approval of sixbudget-related ballot measures in the May 19 special election."
A distraction?With all due respect, Madame Speaker, buying a new pair of shoes is adistraction. This is self-sabotage. A simple statement of regrets, afew press releases and behind-closed-doors promises to the staffersthat they'll get their pay once the pitchfork wielding voters go awayis not going to cut it this time - California's people are very clearlyout for blood, and many analysts have already concluded that they wantto see some real contrition. According to the Times, "Despite the revocation of the raises, some political observers saidsignificant damage had been done to the campaign led by Villines, Bassand the governor for the May propositions intended to help balance thestate budget." Or, to quote Republican political strategist Arnold Steinberg, this is a potential "nail in the coffin."
Thisis especially true given the situation with respect to taxes inCalifornia. The Speaker herself has made a great deal of the fact that 50% of California's revenue comes from 144,000 taxpayers.That's 144,000 people out of a population of 36,553,215, or four tenthsof a percent of California's population. It's even less than half ofCalifornia's Native American population of just under 400,000 people.To her credit, and to the consternation of liberal bloggers,Speaker Bass has decried the injustice of this state of affairs.However, when her staff is getting more than three times as manydollars as there are people paying for them in raises, that sort ofegalitarian sentiment tends to get substantially muted, meaning thatProposition 1A has now become that much of a harder sell for those whowant it to pass.
So much the better for certain elements of California's politicalsystem, but 1A's failure could mean even harsher budgetary medicine forCalifornia's people. There's little question that Bass and Villines will survive this little squabble intact - what's more concerning is whether they'll have any taxpayers left after all is said and done.