The budget is passed, and by the time you read this it should have been signed by Mr. Biceps himself. So, we can all go back to normal and ignore the problem for another year. Let?s think about something more pleasant, like the Lompoc football teams.

Of course, this is the same thinking that never fixes the roof. When it?s raining you can?t go up there and fix it. Then when it?s sunny you don?t need to fix it, but this lack of foresight is sure to bring periodic bursts of displeasure.

We tend to treat our legislators like spoiled children; when they behave badly we scold them and threaten to actually do something like spank their bad little bottoms, but then they whine and blame the other guy and promise not to do it again, and we capitulate and let them off with a candy bar and a glass of milk.

Since this lack of oversight has produced another record delay and untold harm to the very state economy they espouse to protect, perhaps it is time to actually cut that hickory switch, lead them out to the woodshed, and then take their car keys away.

First action: Flee from the ranks of the two major parties. One thing they will understand is enrollment numbers. It costs us, the voters, nothing to change our registration from either party to independent.

There is still time to do this prior to the election. When the party bosses see their numbers decline by hundreds or thousands of potential voters, it will register with them that the public is unhappy with their actions. Go to the library and ask for a registration form and register independent. I understand how difficult this may be. I am a lifelong member of my party, but it has done nothing to earn my support, so the time has come to say good-bye.

Second action: Do not vote for any incumbent. You might call their local offices and tell them that their contempt for the electorate has caused you to punish them for their lack of actions. When you vote to send someone new to Sacramento, call their offices and tell them why you are voting for them, and that you expect them to deliver a budget by June 15 every year, or you will dispatch them back to the ranks of the unemployed.

Third action: Someone needs to write a constitutional amendment that triggers automatic consequences in any year that the budget fails to pass by June 15; my preference would be to remove every legislator from office immediately. Something like this:

A. On June 16, the Secretary of State would certify that a budget had not passed and the Legislature was in Constitutional Contempt, he/she would thereupon immediately terminate their election.

B. He/she would then direct the highway patrol to physically remove all legislators and their staff from their offices. All legislators and their staffs, so removed, would be banned from election and state service for a period of 10 years.

C. The governor would then declare that there being no budget, the previous years budget will be extended for 12 months, and he/she would then be empowered to make any adjustments to that budget in order to sign a balanced budget by June 30.

D. The secretary of state would then establish the new terms of office for each district and legislator and a complete new legislature would be elected in November of that year.

E. The new Legislature would begin office Jan. 1 of the following year.

Just think of it. No seniority. No pet projects to roll over from year to year. And, best of all, think of the money we taxpayers save by not paying their salaries and staff salaries, cars, country club fees, pensions, health insurance, and international junkets for a full six months. Millions of dollars would be saved, probably enough to fund increases in the mental health budget, which would help care for those deposed legislators.

Does this sound harsh to you? Consider the people who are under state contracts, who rely on the Legislature to pass a budget so they can get paid, pay their employees and subcontractors. Many of these people and their companies have experienced terrible hardships during this budget impasse. Some have lost jobs, missed house payments, maxed out their credit cards just keeping food on the table. Some companies are on the brink of bankruptcy. What terrible crime did these people commit? They trusted the State of California to honor its obligations and contracts.

A legislature that cannot keep faith with its obligations, that holds the voters in such contempt, dishonors all of us who are Californians and its members do not deserve to stay in office.

The Rev. Steve Petty is pastor of First United Methodist Church and a native Californian. He welcomes your e-mail at spetty.record@verizon.net.

September 26, 2008