What Proposition 0 Does:

Proposition 0 puts accountability back into our state budgeting process. By requiring our representatives to budget two years at a time it will eliminate their ability to use budget gimmicks that just put off the problem until next year. Instead of holding parties accountable for passage or defeat of late budgets, individual votes can be tallied and local officials held responsible for service cuts and tax increases.

A change to performance based budgeting will require state agencies to evaluate the efficiency and need of all programs. This will allow our legislators to determine which programs are functioning well and eliminate those that are outdated or have survived beyond their use.

Establishing a Rainy Day Fund will stabilize the state's fiscal resources and eliminate the boom or bust panic that we experience from year to year. Education and Health Care will be able to allocate resources more effectively without fear that their budgets will be slashed from year to year.

Provisions:

• Allows the budget to be passed by a majority vote (55%) of the legislature.
• Creates a "rainy day" fund to help even out economic cycles and eliminate the boom or bust nature of our current budget process.
• Requires the legislature to budget two years at a time.
• Establishes the use of performance based budgeting.
• Requires a 2/3 vote of the legislature if the state general fund expenditures increase an excessive amount (more than inflation plus 2%).