Legislature Begins Effort to Get a Handle on Budget

David Friedman’s “Test for Democrats” (Opinion, Dec. 8) was a breath of fresh air in the current dysfunctional political climate in Sacramento. Gov. Gray Davis is more interested in looking good than in making the tough decisions. His signing of the farm-labor arbitration bill in September was a disaster to business confidence and did nothing to encourage investment or expansion in California. The situation in our Legislature is more discouraging. The Democrats just don’t get it. By the time they get through with the budget crisis, there won’t be any strength left for anything creative, let alone some of the monumental long-term issues facing the state.

Thousands of aerospace jobs are gone. Other states are taking our high-tech jobs. Manufacturing jobs are lost daily. Until there is a climate of vigorous business investment, high-quality job growth just isn’t going to happen.

Donald W. Koch

Redondo Beach

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Friedman’s test for Democrats is simple: Become Republicans. Adopt the program of the Republicans and, voila, you have credence. His assertion that the Democrats have near-monopoly power is patently wrong. In the special session of the Legislature, Republicans have two votes for every one that the Democrats have. It is simple arithmetic.

The budget requires a two-thirds majority to pass. The Republicans have 32 members in their caucus, none of whom has indicated what cuts he or she wants to make, and all of whom have said there should be no increase in taxes. Where is the monopoly power of the Democrats, Mr. Friedman?

Ralph Dearden

Santa Maria

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We can all take comfort in knowing that many of our California lawmakers and their wives holed up in $300-a-night rooms in Maui to concentrate on our state’s massive budget shortfalls (“A Little R&R; in Maui Precedes the Budget Battle,” Dec. 9). It is also reassuring to be told that “no special favoritism would result from the get-together,” which was sponsored by the California Correctional Peace Officers Assn.

If that is not reassuring enough, consider the quote from Sen. Liz Figueroa: “It’s not like when we are in Sacramento. We can sit down and have candid discussions about the budget.” Let’s not ask just what they do when they are in Sacramento.

But not to worry; many say they will pay for the trip’s expenses out of their own pockets, and we can take that to the bank, right? Now that I have been advised that the budget discussions are going so well, I will relax. But first I have to park my turnip wagon.

Barkley B.

Yarborough

Huntington Beach