California lawmakers must forfeit their pay as of mid-June because the budget they passed last week – which Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed less than 24 hours later -â?? was not balanced, the state controller said Tuesday.
Prop 25 was passed in an attempt to prevent months of bickering on a balanced budget. The proposition states that if a balanced budget is not passed by the June deadline, legislators will not be paid until it is. This was a Dem idea, because the Prop also removed the 2/3 majority requirement and now requires a simple majority (which Dems have on their own).
The move was to give Dems total control on the budget while still getting paid, but it backfired. The budget used illegal gimmicks, fudged numbers, and numerous tricks which violated the California Constitution and passed in an attempt to keep legislators pay. State Controller John Chiang found the budget to be both illegal and unbalanced, so they are now volunteers. I am so happy I am ready for church over this.