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GOP Lawmakers Upset with Dem Spending Plan, Budget Process

GOP Lawmakers Upset with Dem Spending Plan, Budget Process
As the next California budget takes shape, legislative Republicans who aren’t involved in negotiations say the Democratic spending plan isn’t balanced. And they're boycotting budget hearings to protest what they call a lack of transparency.

Senate Minority Leader Bob Huff claimed the proposal legislative Democrats are putting forth doesn't cut enough spending.

"As we're looking at the numbers," said Huff, "it's about ninety percent taxes and gimmicks, but then it's only about ten percent of structural cuts. So it certainly doesn't get to the half-half that it's been portrayed as - half-revenues, half-cuts - and it's another smoke-and-mirrors, gimmicky budget."

And that's not all Republicans don't like. They claim some parts of the budget get changed on the fly - and other parts aren't even in print yet. GOP Senators demanded a 24-hour waiting period to look over the bills, then boycotted a budget hearing to protest the process.

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Democrats said they gave the GOP each budget bill as soon as it was available - then did wait 24 hours before holding a hearing.