Let Californians vote!

We don’t make it a habit to implore Republicans from this page. 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 or not 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?

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

We find this cowardly at best.

So … let’s get back to the begging. It will only take 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!