L.A. Chamber on state mess

In the wake of Tuesday's blowout loss on the budget-related props, the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce is out with an action agenda. (The chamber had supported the measures.) The goals seem reasonable enough, but under the current dysfunctional system they're just words - virtually impossible to make happen.

--Maximize federal stimulus investments to California.

--Create a bipartisan commission to evaluate what programs should be cut and by how much.

--Create a plan to incentivize economic development.

--Implement performance-based budgeting to ensure that public resources are spent as wisely and effectively as possible.

--Establish a blue ribbon commission to evaluate business regulations.

--Create long-term solutions for California's water supply.

--Keep funding transportation projects.

Like I said, lots of luck. The early reading is that Schwarzenegger will want to take out the budget ax and start cutting back - a lot. That puts the squeeze on the Democrat-controlled legislature. From Anthony York at Capitol Weekly:

If the comments of Schwarzenegger's political strategist Adam Mendelsohn are any indication, Republicans who liked the first version of Arnold Schwarzenegger might find something to like in Schwarzenegger 3.0. "In some instances, a loss is as much a mandate as a win," said Mendelsohn. "It's clear that he carries a mandate to cut the California budget down to the bone." Senate leader Darrell Steinberg said he was "wary of such broad pronouncements," but acknowledges that cuts will have to be a big part of the next phase.

Watch out school kids and poor people - this is not going to be pretty.