Governor Schwarzenegger used his line-item veto authority to make the additional cuts when he signed the recently revised state budget. Democratic Senate Leader Darrell Steinberg says in doing so, the Governor over-stepped his constitutional authority:
“We elected a Governor, not an Emperor.”
Lawyers for the legislature found that the Governor did not have the power to deepen some of the cuts that lawmakers originally passed as part of the February budget. Steinberg says that’s one reason he filed the suit:
“Letting this decision stand as-is, would set a very dangerous precedent, and would tip the balance of power between the executive branch of government and the legislative branch of government too far towards the executive.”
Steinberg will pay for the suit with his own campaign funds. Schwarzenegger Press Secretary Aaron McLear says the Governor’s authority to veto appropriations is unquestioned and will be upheld by the courts