Gov. Jerry Brown closes the chapter on his quest to reshape California's budget
SACRAMENTO, Calif._From the first time decades ago he was lampooned as a quirky upstart until now, the final stretch of his unprecedented fourth term as California's governor, Jerry Brown has reveled in his reputation as a cheapskate.
"Nobody is tougher with a buck than I am," he boasted during the 2010 campaign that sent him back to Sacramento.
Eight years later, Brown is poised to earn a place in the history books as the leader who helped right the ship of state. His mantra of measured spending could be a standard by which future governors are judged.
"We're well positioned, but if the next governor doesn't say 'no' at critical moments, things will get worse," Brown said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times.
His promise of similar straight talk about California's budget prevailed in the 2010 election, held in the shadow of financial collapse. The projected budget deficit he inherited
