Democrats in the Legislature have obtained a legal opinion that says that the Governor’s additional line-item vetoes to the budget reduction package approved last week by the legislature are illegal.

While not arguing the legality of the opinion, I will argue the practicality of not allowing the Governor to make those cuts.

A legal opinion is just that; an opinion. Obviously the Governor’s legal advisors have another opinion. So while we wander into the subjective arena of whose opinion is correct, the fact remains that the state just doesn’t have the money

Of course, there was a way that the legislature could have prevented at least $100 million of those cuts. The Assembly’s failure to approve a bill that would have allowed for a state offshore oil lease that could have brought the state $100 million immediately and a 14-year ongoing payment, forced the Governor to make additional cuts in order to get the state’s cash situation under control.

And the Governor’s additional cuts were indeed severe. Williamson Act funding that protects agricultural land was completely eliminated, a $27 million item. Park funding was cut by an additional $6 million, which will force the closure of some state parks, and the state’s healthy families program that provides health insurance for low income children was also cut dramatically.

So here’s a thought for my Democratic friends. Rather than finding attorneys to provide legal opinions to make the case against the Governor’s actions, let’s do the responsible thing by coming back in August and approving the oil lease that will provide us with much-needed immediate revenue to help us avoid some of these cuts.

The conversation continues on the California Forward website. My latest post in response Fresno Mayor Swearengin, and Lorena Gonzalez of the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council.

Recently, I was asked to join the discussion on the California Forward “Forward Thinking” website, where you’ll find ongoing correspondence on critical issues affecting politics and policy in California, by contributors representing different political and professional perspectives.

Today, the topic was Local Government and how local governments might be coping with the current budgetary crisis. As a former county Supervisor, I had this perspective to offer the conversation.