A select group of Democratic senators in California are privately discussing insurance issues on Zoom, without public notice or participation, as companies pull out of the state due to the increasing homeowners insurance crisis.
These backroom negotiations are particularly intense due to upcoming deadlines for the governor to sign a balanced state budget by June 30 and to put measures on the November ballot by June 27, intertwining this year's secret budget conversations with deal-making around the 2024 ballot.
Jonathan Mehta Stein from California Common Cause highlights the lack of public involvement and oversight in the budget process, stating that decisions made through it receive far less public activism compared to other controversial legislation.
Although Democrats in the California Legislature insist they have been open in crafting their budget, the excessive amount of private discussions and negotiations behind closed doors raises concerns about transparency and public engagement.
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