Wilson Urged to Convene Budget Talks : Capitol: Democrats’ request amounts to a swipe at his presidential bid. Spokesman says governor is willing to meet with legislative leaders.

While the Assembly debated minor budget matters Tuesday, pressure built on Gov. Pete Wilson to get involved in direct talks to approve a state budget by the start of the new fiscal year Saturday.

Assembly Democrats voted in a bloc to urge that Wilson convene a meeting of legislative leaders to solve the budget impasse. Republican Assembly Speaker Doris Allen and Democratic Senate President Pro Tem Bill Lockyer also called on Wilson to get more involved.

“It is definitely time that people start meeting and trying to resolve the budget,” Allen said.

While Republican lawmakers expressed no particular desire to force Wilson into the process, the call from the Democrats amounted to a swipe at Wilson and his presidential aspirations, which have taken him on several cross-country trips in recent weeks.

Lockyer’s spokesman, Sandy Harrison, said Lockyer “believes it is time for [Wilson] to come to California, to spend time in California and get involved in the budget process.”

In the lower house, Assemblyman John Burton (D-San Francisco) led the charge for the Democrats, saying: “We have to seize the moment, because he may be off, which is his right, to another state to go do for [it] . . . what he has done for California.”

“Drowning people grasp at straws,” Burton added. “This may be a straw, to think that the governor working with the [legislative leaders] could solve the [budget] problem in four days. But if he does not engage himself, we have no chance.”

All 37 Democrats at Tuesday’s Assembly session voted for Burton’s resolution urging Wilson to enter budget negotiations. Assembly Republicans, not interested in embarrassing the governor, abstained.

Wilson spokesman Paul Kranhold said there are no scheduled talks with legislative leaders, but added: “We are certainly willing to meet with the leadership. The governor has been planning for some time on making himself available this week.”

Wilson, who is in the state this week, was considering another campaign foray outside California this weekend. Dan Schnur, his campaign spokesman, said the governor would remain in the state if he could help resolve the budget impasse.

“State business always comes first,” Schnur said.

Several parts of Wilson’s proposed $56-billion spending plan for the fiscal year that begins Saturday have met with Democratic opposition, including his calls for further cuts in welfare and increases in higher-education fees.

Some Democrats also oppose Wilson’s proposed 15% income and corporate tax cut, hoping instead to spend more money on public schools. Wilson’s desire to shift to counties the responsibility for paying welfare recipients is meeting opposition from Republicans as well as Democrats.

The Assembly-Senate budget conference committee did not meet Tuesday, indicating that there is little chance of compromise among its three Republicans, four Democrats and one independent on the major issues.

In the lower house, meanwhile, Assemblyman Howard Kaloogian (R-Carlsbad) continued, as he had last week, to introduce amendments to the budget to abolish various boards and commissions. The votes were mainly symbolic, given that there is little chance the Assembly version of the state budget will get anywhere near the 54 votes needed for approval with Kaloogian’s reductions.

But in his effort to shape the budget, Kaloogian proposed abolishing the Commission on the Status of Women and the Commission on Aging, for a combined savings of $750,000. But both commissions have politically active supporters, as indicated by the votes.

His motion on the women’s commission failed when it attracted only 30 votes, far short of a majority. Kaloogian was the only Assembly member who voted to do away with the Commission on Aging.

“You have to stand for what you stand for,” he said later.

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