The most fiscally irresponsible state government is beginning to discover that it cannot continue its high handed ways. It is one thing to tell taxpayers they will have to wait for their tax refund checks until the state comes up with cash. But it is quite another to tell counties, which collect certain taxes on behalf of the state, that they will have to wait for their state aid. The Sacramento Bee reports:

Sacramento County is planning to file a lawsuit this week against the state and Controller John Chiang for withholding millions of dollars -- much of it for social service programs.

"The Legislature authorized those expenditures, and (the controller) has decided to withhold it," said Susan Peters, chairwoman of the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors. "I believe it's possible other counties will be joining in the action."

Riverside County is looking at a similar lawsuit but plans to go one step further. It authorized going to court to relieve it from having to provide state-mandated services without state funding. ...

Los Angeles County started the movement Tuesday when its Board of Supervisors considered holding back money from the state in a move that screamed: Give us our money or you won't get yours.

"The deal is the county has got bills to pay," said Gerry Hertzberg, policy director for Supervisor Gloria Molina. "If the state doesn't act, how do you plan how to budget?"

Los Angeles County is expecting to miss out on as much as $105 million a month as a result of the deferred state payments.