Analysis of the busy final days of the 2013-14 legislative session by Capitol Weekly, a content partner of The Gualco Group, Inc.
Senate Leader Darrell Steinberg of Sacramento and Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez of Los Angeles are both Democrats, but the two are hardly friends.
The events of the last week captured the uneasy, though often productive, working relationship between the two leaders.
Pérez rushed to gavel down a special session to pass a budget reserve plan backed by Gov. Jerry Brown. The governor’s proposal is similar to one first put forward by the speaker. The Assembly quickly scheduled a hearing on the plan where both the speaker and the governor testified. Pérez called for the measure to be passed as soon as possible.
But Steinberg was in no hurry. He waited a few extra days to call the special session in his house and said he was committed to passing a rainy-day fund but not before the rest of the budget is passed in June.
Both Pérez and Steinberg will give up their leadership posts later this year. In mid-May, Pérez, now a candidate for state controller, hands over the Assembly gavel after four-plus years at the helm of the Assembly. Steinberg, who has led the Senate since 2008, will stay on as leader through the upcoming budget negotiations, but will be forced from office by term limits this year.
http://capitolweekly.net/perez-steinberg-tense-relationship-productive/