The Sacramentoization of City Hall, San Diego Unified
THURSDAY, MAY 20, 2010
Sacramento is a model of dysfunctional, unresponsive governance. The public employee unions’ operational control of the Legislature is so complete that practically all major legislation is gauged as to how it can be used to further union goals.
Consider the various measures to help jump-start job creation with California unemployment at a 70-year high. Democratic lawmakers are wary of being seen as indifferent to the economic pain caused by the deep downturn, so a recent U-T editorial criticizing Senate President Darrell Steinberg and Assembly Speaker John Perez on the issue produced an intense, immediate push-back.
If they care so much, why isn’t this resulting in job-creation bills being fast-tracked?
Because the bills that Dems can tolerate or actually like are chits that can be used in the coming brutal budget fight. To get the Republican votes necessary for two-thirds approval of the budget, Dems will use them as leverage – initially for tax hikes, which probably won’t work, and then ultimately for a spending plan that limits the hit taken by public employees.
Now, here in San Diego, we are seeing an all-out push to bring the Sacramento model of governance to City Hall and the school district. The signs are abundant.
