> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# It’s time for a change
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/its-time-for-a-change-editor/
- Published: 2008-08-09T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-24T20:38:45.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*By John O. Legreid Santa Monica*

We need a state constitutional change that when the Legislature does not finish a budget on time the governor shall adjourn the Legislature, call for a special election and proceed to run the state with last year’s budget.

That is, every budget will be a two-year budget with the option to modify it with a new one after one year.

And these legislators who have been dismissed shall never be eligible to have their names on a ballot for any other state or local office that requires an election. They took an oath or vow to give us constitutional government and they have failed. Failures in Sacramento need no more trust no matter who or what issue they point the finger at. We need producers, not finger pointers in all of our political offices.

And until such constitutional change comes about, we can vow we will never vote for or support anyone who has failed the constitutional test as a legislator.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 9, 2008.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/080908.pdf?ref=smdp.com)