California Assembly Takes Care of Highest-Paid State Workers. Again

Right on cue, today brings us another reminder of why California does not need five more years of higher taxes: the Assembly Appropriations Committee has killed Anthony Portantino's bill to freeze pay increases on state employees making over $150,000 a year.

This is at least the 8th time the Committee has stalled Portantino's bill, AB 7, which would apply to employees of the executive, legislative, or judicial branches of state government, appointees to state boards and commissions, and employees of the Cal State system. Portantino estimates that his measure would save the state $20 million against its budget deficit. (The Sacramento Bee doesn't say so, but the measure would also positively impact the state's unfunded pension liabilities.) The measure is opposed by representatives of California's large pension funds. We get tired of saying this, but keep this story in mind the next time someone in Sacramento tells you that California's budget can't possibly be cut any further.