No budget deal yet at the Capitol, but the debate is about to begin. Democratic Senate Leader Darrell Steinberg said he’s calling floor session for Friday and all through the weekend.
“It’s not a drill. We are five days away from the budget deadline. Five days away. So this is the beginning of the budget debate," Steinberg said.
The legislature’s constitutional deadline to pass a spending plan is June 15th. Lawmakers have nearly always blown past that date in previous years. But this is the first year under voter-approved Proposition 25, which permanently docks lawmakers’ pay each day there’s no budget.
Democrats and a handful of Republicans appear close on the substance of a budget deal. But they’re at an impasse on whether to extend several tax increases until a fall special election or have them expire at the end of this month.
The office of Assembly Speaker John Perez said the lower chamber will start its budget debate on Monday.
