Republicans should let the people vote

We don’t make it a habit to implore Republicans from this page. We figure it doesn’t do much good. But we’re making an exception this one time. You see, the clock is running out on Gov. Jerry Brown’s attempt to strike a bipartisan deal to close the state’s $26.6 billion budget gap.

Republican legislators are not budging. They are simply not willing to allow California citizens to vote in June on Brown’s proposed budget fix.

Let’s be clear. Brown hasn’t asked these Republicans to raise taxes. He’s just asked them to let the voters decide whether to support parts of his plan, which calls for $12.5 billion in cuts, an extension of the $9 billion in taxes due to expire later this year, and a realignment of state government that would shift funds and responsibilities to local governments.

We, the voters of California, put Brown into office because we believed he was our best shot at saving our troubled state. How can the GOP legislators justify preventing us from considering the plan Brown has produced to do just that? They can’t.

The Republicans are not only blocking us from voting, they’re also claiming they have no responsibility whatsoever to produce an alternative “cuts only” budget that would slice away the $26.6 billion.

This is cowardly at best.

So … let’s get back to the begging. It will take only a handful of Republicans to get the two-thirds majority that will allow Brown’s proposal to be placed on the ballot. Find your courage. Let us vote!