Senators meet on state budget, zero-dollar deficit

With state senators set to meet Wednesday evening to hammer out a budget deal, Huntington Beach Sen. Tom Harman expected the final product to meet the Republicans’ goal of a zero-dollar operating deficit.

When the Assembly approved a budget with a $700 million deficit, GOP senators rebelled and created their own budget that sliced $842 million from a welfare program, public transportation and other areas.

Harman said earlier Wednesday that whatever senators approve probably will go straight to the governor, who may change where cuts come from, but he is expected to stick to a zero deficit.

“The governor has indicated that he has the power to blue-pencil, or veto, line items, and he has indicated to both sides that he’s going to do that,” Harman said. “Both sides are more or less relying on the governor to make those cuts…. Will they be the same cuts [as Republicans made]? No, they won’t.”

— Alicia Robinson