California’s seemingly never-ending budget delay has been a frustration to many Californians and lawmakers on opposing sides of proposed spending plans. However, would both Republican and Democratic lawmakers benefit from a delay until after the November election? That’s the conclusion of Joe Matthews at Prop Zero, who argues that the incentives to wait will reward further delay and that voters shouldn’t expect a budget until after the election. And how does this all relate to the statewide ballot propositions?

Well, Proposition 25 would only require a simple majority to pass a budget, and support of the prop might get a boost from angry voters who have yet to see lawmakers produce and sign a budget after months of delay. Democrats in support of the measure might conclude it’s worth the wait on the budget if voters ultimately approve Prop 25, which would give Democrats greater control. And then there is Proposition 26, which would require a new two-thirds supermajority for passing tax-like fees. If Democrats want to see the measure go down in flames, then they may conclude that the longer the budget delay, the better. Lost in all the politicking will be those who depend on the state for their incomes. Read more from Matthews here.