Legislators End Session, OK Big Bond Package

Weary from a long summer of playing crisis politics, groggy legislators adjourned their two-year session in the pre-dawn Saturday after passing a delicately wrapped $3.3-billion package of construction bonds destined for the November ballot.

But gambling on a better deal from the next governor--a pervasive attitude these days in the state Capitol--legislators and the education establishment bowed out of trying to reach agreement with Gov. George Deukmejian on how to resurrect $480 million in school money he previously had vetoed from the state’s $55.7-billion budget.

The Legislature also struck out attempting to devise affordable auto and health insurance for people presently not covered, two “big-ticket” items that Deukmejian and Assembly Speaker Willie Brown had placed atop their agendas with great fanfare.

And it declined to move up California’s presidential primary to an earlier, more influential spot in the nominating process--a move advocated by some who dabble in presidential politics but opposed by legislators worried about the impact on their own state politics.

During a marathon, Byzantine 19 1/2-hour session that spanned two days, a sunset and the glimmerings of a sunrise over the Sierra, the Legislature did, however, send the governor major compromise bills addressing two special concerns of Californians: earthquake insurance for homeowners and offshore oil spill cleanups.

The Legislature’s final act, after several party caucuses and a lot of vote counting, was to approve the November bond proposals: $325 million to assist first-time home buyers and build low-cost housing, $450 million for prison construction, $800 million for building schools, $450 million for community college and university facilities, $200 million for courthouse construction, $225 million for county jails, $410 million for parks, recreation and wildlife programs, $380 million for water projects and $30 million for child-care facilities. Last Monday, the lawmakers also approved a $400 million bond measure for Cal-Vet mortgages.

But virtually no one was jumping up and down with pride over the Legislature’s 1990 achievements as the two houses coasted to an anticlimactic halt a bit past 5 a.m. after a night of plotting, pouting, hot tempers and name-calling, especially in the Assembly.

“This year was not nearly as triumphant as last year. It wasn’t even a good year. It was probably a bad year,” said Senate Republican Leader Ken Maddy of Fresno, echoing colleagues of both parties.

Fingers pointed in many directions: a six-week budget stalemate that sapped energies and strained relationships, a lame-duck governor accused of stubbornness and detachment, procrastination by Democrats and special interests rolling the dice on a new Administration, election-year politicking and--most of all--an acute shortage of state revenues.

“There’s no denying it,” Maddy said. “If we don’t have revenue, most of the major problems in this state cannot be solved. Everything we do around here takes money. We either shift existing revenues or we produce new revenues.”

And state government came up $3.6-billion short of revenue this year. “Any chance for any kind of cooperative work in August was really hurt by the fact so much blood had been spilled in July during the budget fight,” Maddy added.

For his part, Deukmejian declared he had “achieved most of the major elements of my final year agenda.” He listed mandatory earthquake insurance and some earthquake preparedness measures, an expanded program to help first-time home buyers, “structural reform” of the budget that will allow future governors to automatically cut spending when revenues do not match expectations, the oil spill cleanup plan, construction bonds for schools and prisons, and voter approval last June of a gasoline tax increase to pay for a 10-year transportation plan.

But the Republican governor said he regretted not being able to reach agreement with legislators on a plan to provide health insurance for the 5 million Californians not presently covered. He also was “disappointed that the Legislature failed to enact a low-cost auto insurance policy” for the 25% of California drivers now uncovered. In another jab at the education establishment, Deukmejian said it was “deplorable that our proposal (to use $220 million) to lower class sizes was not approved.”

“It’s sad,” the governor continued in a prepared statement, “that the legislative majority couldn’t summon the courage to stand up to the California Teachers Assn. (CTA) and Supt. of Public Instruction Bill Honig.”

Maureen DiMarco, president of the California School Boards Assn. and a member of the Garden Grove school board, responded that negotiation attempts were hampered by “a long history” of mistrust and lack of communication between educators and the governor’s office. “There were times when saying ‘good morning’ seemed to hurt somebody’s feelings,” she said.

One Senate Republican, who did not want to be identified, said, “The framework for a deal was there, but the governor is very stubborn and his feud with Honig complicated things.”

CTA President Ed Foglia commented: “Now we wait for January and a new governor. We have to believe no matter who is elected, we’ll have a better relationship with the next governor.”

That view was reiterated by legislators and lobbyists across a wide spectrum of issues.

“I’m looking forward to the challenge of a new Administration, a new system and a more pro-active approach,” said Senate President Pro Tem David A. Roberti (D-Los Angeles), looking fatigued and gingerly choosing his words, “because I’ve still got to get some bills signed (by Deukmejian).”

Legislators and staffers familiar with Speaker Brown’s thinking said the Assembly leader finally concluded late Friday it was fruitless trying to continue talks with Deukmejian aides on auto insurance. “He decided, ‘Let’s wait until next year. What’s the urgency?’ ” said one source.

Assemblyman Burt Margolin (D-Los Angeles), who had tried for two years to develop a health insurance package, offered some backhanded praise for Deukmejian. “He gave the subject more attention than anybody ever thought he would,” the assemblyman said. “In the end, he didn’t push. He shut the door on us.”

Another liberal assemblyman, Ways and Means Committee Chairman John Vasconcellos (D-Santa Clara), complained--as did many lawmakers Friday night--that “we’ve got a governor who won’t negotiate and never shows his face.”

But Deukmejian chief of staff Michael R. Frost countered that “every governor--and I’ve been around here a long time--is thought of by the Legislature as being ‘inaccessible.’ That goes with the territory. There are 120 legislators. There is one governor. This governor has made a decision that he will work with the legislative leadership. And we don’t elect the leadership, they do.

“When Vasconcellos complains, our answer to him is, ‘We’re meeting with Willie Brown. And as soon as you get elected Speaker, we’ll deal with you.’ If Margolin wants to get something done with the governor’s office, he knows he has to go to Willie Brown.”

Brown contended that overall “it was a good session.” But he said “there was not the will of the (legislative) membership or the governor to produce” on health and auto insurance.

“People (elected officials) represent their constituencies and until their constituencies sound the clarion call, many people do not listen,” he said.

Contributing to this article were Times staff writers Daniel M. Weintraub, Carl Ingram, Douglas P. Shuit, Virginia Ellis and William Trombley.

School’s MONEY TROUBLES:Classes resume with districts not sure how much money they can spend this year. A3