 He was a member of the "Big 5" group of legislative leaders that included at the time Governor Schwarzenegger, Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, Senate Republican Leader Dennis Hollingsworth, and Speaker of the Assembly Karen Bass.Final agreements on such important issues as how to balance the budget are reached during "Big 5" meetings.Villines' leadership was key to the February 2009 Budget Deal, which included large spending cuts and temporary tax increases, that allowed California to reduce its $42 billion budget deficit.