Budget-making in the light

The state Senate begins its hearings into the 2008-09 budget today and Senate president pro tempore Don Perata, D-Oakland, said he wants to make sure the pain the budget will bring will be fully understood by the public. He promised that budget discussions will take place during open, public hearings, rather than behind closed doors during meetings of the "big five" leaders.
In the past, the four legislative leaders and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger have often worked out the final, toughest details of state budgets during private meetings. But Perata said with such a difficult budget year ahead -- the state has a remaining deficit of at least $8 billion - he wants the public to understand the choices that will have to be made.
He made the comments today in response to what he said were rumors from the governor's office about plans for private meetings and "working groups" to hammer out the budget.
"Whatever it is we're going to talk about, we're going to do it in the full light of day," Perata said. "So we underscore the fact we're talking about people's lives here, we're talking about people's careers. We cannot be cavalier about that."
"And the last thing we want to do is to have somebody say you did it in the dark of night, because you didn't have the courage to do it in the light of day."
Perata also said he is not optimistic about the chances for closing any tax credits, much less increasing tax rates this year to narrow the budget gap. After Assembly Republicans shot down a proposal to close a loophole for yacht buyers, he said, it is highly unlikely they would agree to any similar proposals.