Back, back, back

The legislative leaders and Gov. Schwarzenegger continue to negotiate for a bond deal today. And as negotiations have continued, floor sessions of both houses continue to be pushed back. As of now, floor sessions for both houses are scheduled for 6pm. Rumors are that any vote on a bond package--if there is a package deal--would begin on the Senate side, as there are only two GOP votes needed there to move the package to the Assembly. In recent days, both Democrats and Republicans have said that the Assembly Republican caucus is likely the biggest obstacle to achieving a bond deal for the June ballot. Dan Weintraub has the latest scuttlebutt on the bonds: A $48 billion package for the 2006 and 2008 elections. $38.6 billion in 2006, with $10.3 billion for schools, $19.35 billion for transportation, housing and air quality, and $9 billion for flood control, water and natural resources. Another $9.1 billion for schools would go on the ballot in 2008. The transportation piece by istelf is about $18 billion, with $6.5 billion going directly into roads and highways. Another $5 billion or so goes to rail and transit, $2 billion for goods movement, $1.8 billion for air quality and environmental mitigation, $1.8 billion for safety, including seismic retrofits, and about $950 million for transit oriented development and infill incentives.