California State Controller John Chiang has come up with a way to kick-start the budget by denying pay to California lawmakers until they come up with a balanced budget for California for the new fiscal year.

“My office’s careful review of the recently-passed budget found components that were miscalculated, miscounted, or unfinished,” Chiang stated on his website. “The numbers simply did not add up, and the legislature will forfeit their pay until a balanced budget is sent to the Governor.”

Chiang’s office found that the California budget for the next fiscal year, which was recently vetoed by Governor Jerry Brown, had the state spending at $89.75 billion while the state revenue only took in $87.9 billion, which leaves $1.85 billion unaccounted for.

Until this is resolved, Chiang has pledged not to pay the lawmakers. Los Angeles Times writer Shane Goldmacher estimates that this could cost each lawmaker $400 per day that a balanced budget is not on the books.

Lawmakers have had mixed reviews on Chiang’s decision. Some, like Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Silver Lake), have condemned the decision.

“John Chiang just wants to sit there and beat up on the unpopular kids,” Gatto told the Los Angeles Times. “I now have to explain to my wife and daughter that we won’t be able to pay the bills because a politician chose to grandstand at our expense.”

Assemblywoman Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) was slightly more optimistic saying that, “It hurts, but I applaud the controller for upholding the will of the voters.”

Governor Brown has remained optimistic, saying after leaving a meeting with state senators “I think the decision has been made, and now we have to get the budget done.”

Unlike the legislature, Governor Brown will still be paid regardless of whether a balanced budget gets passed or not.

While Chiang’s decision has set the budget in motion, some lawmakers are questioning the legality of the decision.

Assembly Majority Leader Charles Calderon (D-Whittier) told the Los Angeles Times that Chiang has been “playing to the headlines” in order to get support for a bid to be Governor and “now it will require a lawsuit to educate him.”

While a lawsuit against Chiang is a possibility, it can also be argued that Chiang may have found a tool for future controllers to get the legislature to pass balanced budgets on time – possibly leading to a better financial future for California.