Both houses will vote Tuesday on competing budget plans, and neither proposal is expected to get the two-thirds vote necessary to pass. Here's what else to expect tomorrow:
-- The Republican budget will contain Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's May budget revision, with some tweaks. Republicans will drop the following ideas from the governor's budget: intersection cameras that nab speeding drivers; a property insurance surcharge; water quality fee increases; and housing future low-level offenders in county jails rather than prisons. The GOP budget is expected to include the elimination of welfare-to-work and state-subsidized child care.
-- The Democratic budget bill will contain spending authorizations that provide more money for schools and do not eliminate welfare-to-work. Democrats won't vote on trailer bills that contain tax hikes. Democrats also won't have to formally vote to suspend Proposition 98, the state's constitutional guarantee for K-12 and community college funding.
-- Both houses plan to take up the budget proposals in the morning, leaving the afternoon, evening and late night for regular end-of-session business.
-- Republicans will try to make the case that a vote for the Democratic budget is a vote for tax hikes on oil production, corporations and middle-class Californians. Democrats who are vulnerable can say they did not cast a formal vote for a tax hike.
-- Democrats will try to make the case that the Republican budget costs the state jobs and billions in federal dollars, while hurting low-income Californians and students.
-- Serious budget negotiations likely will resume later this week. Schwarzenegger will either have to call a ninth special session or ask lawmakers to act in a special session that remains open.
Update (1:15 p.m.): Clarified that the governor's proposal would house future offenders in county jails rather than prisons.
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