News In Brief

No pay for California lawmakers until budget passed

Kai Ryssdal Jun 21, 2011

Today, rare political and economic truths have been spoken.

California, as you may have heard, is having some budget problems. Really big budget problems.

Legislators did finally pass a spending bill last week. Governor Jerry Brown vetoed it, said it didn’t fix things. Today the state controller agreed — and using some new powers that he has — said lawmakers can’t get paid ’til they fix it.

The budget, he said, had elements that were miscalculated, miscounted or
unfinished.

Not quite voodoo economics, but still, pretty good.

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