The mayors of some of California's largest cities are asking Governor Schwarzenegger not to undermine local governments in balancing the state budget.
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa led a group of mayors from San Diego, Sacramento and Fresno, who came to the Capitol yesterday to meet with the governor. They said the state should repay cities if it takes any of the their tax revenue.
Under Schwarzenegger's budget proposal, the state would borrow $1.9 billion from property tax collections and reduce the local share of the gas tax by $744 million. It's part of a plan to close a $24.3 billion deficit.
The mayors say taking gas-tax money would be worse than borrowing from property taxes because the state would not be obligated to repay it.
Copyright The Associated Press
