Huber and Buchanan duck for cover during budget battle

Less than a month into the new session, Sacramento's two newest Democrat electeds have refused to take a stand in the most important issue facing the legislature in years.

I don't often agree with the Sacramento Bee. But they hit it on the nose when they exposed these two.

On Tuesday, five Assembly Democrats abstained from votes on tax hikes: Alyson Huber of El Dorado Hills, Joan Buchanan of Alamo, Manuel Perez of Coachella, Marty Block of San Diego and Charles Calderon of Whittier. Huber and Calderon also abstained from votes on spending cuts. On Thursday, Huber and Buchanan abstained again on tax hikes.

Huber's abstentions are especially disappointing. This page endorsed her to tepresent District 10, which includes Lodi, Elk Grove, Rancho Cordova, Stockton and Jackson. She campaigned as a "problem solver" who would "hit the ground running." A news release on her swearing-in said: "Deeply concerned with the state's financial crisis, Assemblymember Huber is prepared to immediately start working toward a solution." Instead, Huber seems to have hit the ground looking for cover.

Voters don't elect legislators to be neutral on the most important issues facing the state. And if legislators don't like the process by which the bills were produced, they should vote "no."

Ladies, it is a little too early in your political tenure to be ducking for cover. You chose to run in battleground districts. So it is time to stand up and fight for what you believe in. Or are you scared that you will be exposed for who you really are?