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A four-week Sacramento acid test

Capitol Journal: Voters are leaning toward demoting Legislature to part-time. Effective work this month could prove the full-timers' worth.

August 15, 2011|George Skelton | Capitol Journal

Don't expect Democrats to cut Republicans in on any deal, even though the GOP long has advocated business regulatory relief. Democrats gave up on the minority party when it refused to trade regulatory reform — along with spending and pension reforms — for Brown's proposed tax election. They see no reason to bargain with the GOP on any bill that requires only a simple majority vote.

"We're going to do it in our way," Steinberg says. "Not with a sharp arrow pointed at us."

His ideas include shortening the state permitting process, eliminating reams of duplicative regulations and requiring that any proposed new regulation be analyzed for its economic impact.

The Senate leader also wants to give California companies a preference when bidding on California government projects. And he envisions expanded tax breaks for jobs creation and purchase of manufacturing equipment.

We'll be waiting to see, in four weeks, whether a full-time Legislature still seems worthwhile — or whether the sour public has it right.

george.skelton@latimes.com

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