Doyle Budget Plan Defeated- Budget Partially Restored

Transfered from old site

DOYLE DEFEATED!! Budget partially restored- Term limits prove a useful tool
 

 
-Jon Greenbaum, Metro Justice Organizer
 

 

 
It was an interesting display of political choreography at the County Legislature meeting last night. A lively candle light vigil got us revved up and then most folks went inside and jammed into the county legislature. The evening started with the news from Democrats mingling in the gallery that they had reassurance from the Republicans that there were enough votes to override a Doyle veto. We were on the edge of our seats for the rest of the evening. Dozens of people testified about the dangers that awaited this county if Doyle's budget cuts were enacted.
 

 
The Republican Majority Leader, Bill Smith, submitted a budget without a tax increase and some Republicans crossed over to vote with the Democrats to defeat it. Then Santirocco, a Republican and the spokesperson for the Independent caucus submitted a proposal that was supported by all the Democrats and the Republicans in the Independent caucus (Santirocco, Weidemer and McCann). The vote was 16 to 13. But the budget then had to go to Doyle to be signed, and of course everybody knew he would veto it.
 

 
An overide requires 18 votes. So the legislature suspended rules, called for an emergency meeting to convene after Doyle's veto, and then recessed with everybody wondering who the defecting Republicans would be. After a brief recess the lej reconvened and when it was all over they had overriden the veto by 19-10. Boyce, Hanna and (I think) Driscoll had crossed the aisle. On the way out Steve Minarik confirmed to me that the three dissenting Republicans (joining the other three Republicans in the Independence caucus) were all term limited.
 

 
Interestingly, this whole ballet required everybody's cooperation. The Dem's had to put aside their proposal, the Repubs made speeches about how horrible it would be to raise taxes, voted against a tax increase but then turned around and delivered three votes in order to override the veto. The Independent Caucus budget passed, instituting a small tax increase and restoring a significant portion of the funding of services and county programs (although, it fell far short of full budget restoration). This is no small accomplishment in the land of Jack Doyle.
 

 
Unfortunately the Altreya proposal passed with any testimony or discussion. This means that 5000 people living in poverty will be targetted to be kicked off the DSS rolls. Nor did the legislature touch sacred cows like the Sheriff's Road Patrol (a $13 million subsidy to suburban towns that don't have their own police force).
 

 
We're in for some tough times, but the outcome isn't nearly as bad as it might have been. Congratulations to everyone who wrote, emailed, lobbied, called, protested, sang, etc.