The May 19th election has forced the state lawmakers to face the unevitable - dealing with a budget
deficit projected to balloon to $24.3 billion, following Tuesday’s special election in which voters
soundly rejected five ballot measures that would have cut that number to about $6 billion. 

                                                      

With the votes counted, here are the unofficial results:

• 1A, which would have created a “rainy day” fund was rejected with 65.9 percent of the votes against
it and just 35.1 percent in favor.

• 1B, which would have changed how education was funded, providing more money for public schools,
lost with 62.6 percent against, 37.4 percent in favor.

• 1C, which was have let the state borrow money from future state Lottery profits, had no winning numbers,
losing 64.6 percent voting “no” and 35.4 percent voting “yes.”

• 1D, which was have taken money from children’s services, lost 65.8 percent against, 34.2 percent in favor.

• 1E, which would have siphoned off money meant for mental health care, was rejected with 66.4 percent
against, 33.6 percent in favor.

Only one measure passed: 1F, which will prohibit granting state lawmakers pay raises when the state is
running a deficit, was approved by 73.9 percent in favor and 26.1 percent against.

"The longer we wait, the worse the problem becomes and the more limited our choices will be," said Governor
Schwarzenegger in a written statement. In a statement to the Sacramento Bee, State Treasurer Bill Lockyer
said," Another prolonged, embarrassing political stalemate would further damage California’s credit reputation,
hurt our ability to sell bonds, notes or warrants, and inflict unnecessary harm on taxpayers and crucial public
services.

“I think the message is pretty clear,” says state Sen. Sam Aanestad, R-Grass Valley. “Voters are basically telling
the Legislature to do the job that they were elected to do in the first place.

So, it appears that the budget goes back to the Legislature.