Gov. Gray Davis appears to be channeling his Republican predecessor, Pete Wilson, in proposing to wipe out the estimated $35-billion state budget deficit with a precarious combination of budget cuts and tax increases. As Wilson did, he would also shift more social welfare programs onto local governments. What Davis unfortunately forgot is that many of Wilson's painful fixes were temporary.
The $96.4-billion state budget proposal for the fiscal year beginning July 1 also lacks the basic structural reforms Davis himself called for earlier in the week.
The plan released Friday is far from the final word, and it will take a bruising from everyone who has an ox being gored. As Davis promised, though, the pain runs wide and generally deep. Taking big hits are taxpayers -- $8.3 billion in higher levies -- some health and welfare programs and state aid to cities and counties. Largely spared is public health insurance for children.
Some need to feel more pain, including the Corrections Department, which would sacrifice less than 1% of its $5.6-billion budget, compared with about 8% in overall state cuts. Davis, who accepted lavish donations from the prison guards, has something to prove on this issue.