As the state Legislature works quickly to complete its last minute budget add-ons including Governor Schwarzenegger's demands to beef up a restrictive rainy day fund, workers' representatives at SEIU are exploring ideas to ask state voters to improve this budget compromise during a special election that would be needed for the Lotto budget's final approval.

Despite SEIU's leadership gaps at the local levels, its specifically determining the legalities and campaign chances of asking state voters to increase state public education and health services funding in this budget alone. A special election could be held in January of 2009. Eliminating the supermajority needed to pass a budget or tax policy could appear on that ballot as well. All good things.

But the news gets better. Yesterday, this blog opined that the 2010 governor's race should focus on reforming government. Majority rule on budget and tax policy is paramount among all needed reforms. Yes, it even takes precedence over Prop. 13.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate, John Garamendi, the Lt. Governor of our golden state is championing this cause already. Yesterday he released a statement on the budget compromise, which affirms Courage Campaign budget values. His statement is printed below in its entirety:

Lt. Governor John Garamendi's Statement on the Budget Compromise

• SACRAMENTO - Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi issued the following statement on the state budget compromise:
  
  "It's time for Californians to take a stand for our future and our children's future. We must modernize our economy, stabilize our budget, reform and fully fund our education programs, establish a universal health care system, address the threat of climate change and adapt our water and transportation systems to the reality of the new and changing environment.
  
  We are still the sixth wealthiest economy in the world, but we will not be so highly ranked unless we reestablish the successful California tradition of investing in both the public and the private sectors. We cannot allow a continuation of the gridlock caused by the Republicans' refusal to adequately fund those investments that create economic growth and social advancement. The two-thirds vote requirement must end along with the ideology that we can continue to cut essential services and education and end up with a vibrant economy and a peaceful society.
  
  Sadly the budget compromise does nothing to advance any of these critical tasks. While it is long past the time to end the budget impasse, the compromise before the California Legislature is a sad and sorry excuse for a budget. This budget "kicks the can down the road" because it does nothing to solve the structural deficit; it does nothing to fund or to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our poorly performing education system, the prison system or any other state program. It uses accounting gimmicks and borrowing to plug the hole.
  
  One thing that this budgets guarantees is that within five months the whole mess will be repeated. We are after all Californians. We built this great state and we certainly can do better."