In his capacity as Chairman of the Sonoma County Republican Party, Michael Erickson comments on the “resounding victory” of the taxpayers in their defeat of Propositions 1A through 1E. He calls attention to the need for “draconian cuts” in spending, since it is the growing reliance of special interests on the public dole which hinders the reforms needed to restore California to her former status as a beacon of prosperity and opportunity; and he blames the voters’ mistrust on “the Democrat and Republican cabal” in Sacramento, that has been out of touch for far too long.

Sonoma County Voters Help Send a Message to Sacramento, by Guy Kovner (Santa Rosa Press Democrat)

Michael Erickson called it a “resounding victory” for taxpayers.

Assemblywoman Noreen Evans, D-Santa Rosa, called it “really disappointing.”

And Sonoma County voters were in synch with the early returns statewide in Tuesday’s special election, turning down five budget-related ballot measures and overwhelmingly approving a sixth proposition.

The consequence: Starting today, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and lawmakers must begin attacking a deficit of at least $21.3 billion in a $93 billion budget.

“I don’t think people are going to be very happy with it,” said Evans, the Assembly Budget Committee chairwoman.

Erickson, Sonoma County Republican Central Committee chairman, said he relishes the prospect of a downsized state government.

“We’re looking forward to Draconian cuts” in social services and other programs, he said.

“The people are saying, ‘Enough is enough,’­” Erickson said.

Santa Rosa Mayor Susan Gorin said the city likely will be forced to make $3.4 million in cuts to offset the governor’s plan to borrow $2 billion in property taxes from local governments.

Gorin said her take on the special election rhetoric was that Californians “want it all” — government services but no added taxes.

“That’s not sustainable,” she said.

With about 45 percent of precincts reporting, Sonoma County voters were rejecting the five budget-related ballot measures by margins of 57 percent to 60 percent, and giving an 85 percent endorsement to a sixth proposition that would prohibit pay raises to elected state officials during years of state budget deficits.

Statewide, the early returns ran even stronger against the five measures that officials said would generate about $6 billion for the state budget year beginning July 1.

Had those measures passed, state officials would have had to cut about $15 billion, instead of $21 billion, which is 22 percent of the state’s $93 billion general fund.

Diana Markarian’s ballot matched the local and statewide verdict of five “no’s” and a lone “yes.”

The Santa Rosa voter called the five budget propositions “a stopgap measure that doesn’t solve any problems. It’s just a Band-Aid, and we’re going to have to deal with it later.”

She voted for Proposition 1F, which bans the pay raises, out of distrust for lawmakers.

“It’s like the fox guarding the hen house,” she said.

Erickson said he considered the apparent outcome a repudiation of the governor “and the Democratic and Republican cabal in the Legislature.”

Sacramento is “simply out of touch with the voters,” he said.

Evans, a former Santa Rosa councilwoman, disagreed. She said the voters’ message is that it is up to the governor and lawmakers to balance the budget and “that is what we’re going to do.”

The governor’s budget plans, unveiled last week, included no new taxes and borrowing of about $8 billion to $9 billion, Evans said.

The election came with California in the grip of a recession that has cost about 606,000 jobs and 236,000 homes lost to foreclosure in the past year.

Louis Arlenna of Santa Rosa voted no on all six measures.

“If we pass some of this stuff, it would just be supporting the status quo,” he said, “and the status quo isn’t working.”

Sacramento has been gridlocked “for longer than I can remember,” Arlenna said.

Dan Sartin of Santa Rosa voted for all six measures, taking a cue from his girlfriend, a school counselor.

“She’s all about supporting education and teachers,” he said. “I’m going along with it.”

Additional taxes don’t bother him. “I’m OK with that,” Sartin said. “We’ve all got to do our part.”

Judi Jacobson of Santa Rosa said the election itself was a waste of money.

“Why in heaven’s name are we having a special election?”