Join the Discussion on the Governor’s Budget Scenarios

Governor Schwarzenegger held a press conference on May 14, 2009, to unveil two revised budget proposals for the 2009-10 fiscal year. Here’s the press release for the conference, a new analysis from the California Budget Project, and an initial report by the Western Center on Law & Poverty, all of which provide a summary of proposed cuts.

Here are reactions from the following:

Speaker of the Assembly Karen Bass, D-Los Angeles

“The deep cuts included in both of Governor Schwarzenegger’s budget proposals reflect the impact the extended national recession continues to have on California.  We have consistently said that all issues must be on the table, so we will closely examine each and every one of the Governor’s proposals announced today. We understand the people of California don’t care about politics-as-usual when it comes to solving the budget, and we will reject any stunts or gimmicks that get in the way of serious solutions. Californians are frustrated and families who depend on services from the state –whether schools or firefighting or health care for children - are worried.  We will work to solve the budget deficit in a way that protects a safety net for the most vulnerable among us, acknowledges the fact we need an educated workforce to keep our economy going, and respects the strains all Californians are facing in this economy.”

Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento

“The message from the Governor’s May Revise is clear. California’s budget deficit continues to grow because of a National and International economic crisis that can be felt in every classroom, boardroom and unemployment office in the state.  While Californians will have a chance to affect our budget deficit in next week’s election, it doesn’t change the fact that there are difficult choices ahead for this Legislature and the Governor. Regardless of what happens on May 19, on May 20 we will begin to respond to this fiscal challenge swiftly and responsibly, doing the best we can with the money we have.”

Senate Republican Leader Dennis Hollingsworth, R-Murrieta

“As painful a reality as these reductions may be, the financial well-being of our state demands it. The truth is that if we had acted sooner, some of these tough choices could have been avoided.”

Senate Republican Chairman George Runner, R-Antelope Valley

“I believe Californians will deliver a message this Tuesday during the special election that they do not want higher taxes. It’s up to the Legislature and the Governor to fix the fiscal mess-that’s our job. I appreciate the Governor bringing issues-such as consolidating boards and commissions, selling assets, and looking at public employee benefits-to the table. But these are just starting points. California’s state government needs to fundamentally evaluate the way it does business. State government needs to live within its means the same way that working families do.”

California Teacher’s Association President David A. Sanchez

“The governor’s announcement today that the state budget deficit is billions worse than expected and even more painful cuts are on the way for California schools, magnifies why voters must approve Propositions 1A-1F on next Tuesday’s statewide ballot…”

California Federation of Teachers Secretary-Treasurer Dennis Smith

“The Governor’s budget is proposing to cut billions and billions more from the same time not even raising the idea that oil companies could be taxed at the pump or at the wellhead. Cigarette companies, the sales tax could be broadened. He’s talking about all of these issues that are off the table just because he says so. Yet at the same time, he’ll cut five billion more for public schools which are already at 48th in the nation and then touting prop 1A as the answer when in fact prop 1A does not to solve this issue.”

Western Center on Law & Poverty’s Legislative Advocate Michael Herald

“The Governor’s proposals are on top of the significant cuts to CalWORKs and SSI that were enacted in the February 2009 budget. These cuts reach even deeper, and in the case of food and cash assistance for legal immigrants, the Governor proposes out right elimination. These proposals if adopted would reduce the standard of living for nearly 2 million California households who rely on public assistance for survival.”

Health Access California’s Executive Director Anthony Wright

“Just to focus on the cuts, they are a magnitude that we just can’t fathom what those cuts would look like in terms of eligibility. It’s hundreds of thousands of people losing coverage. He’s right that they are very bad and the question is what is the choice that we’re going to make. He says absolutely not, that we’re not going to look at new revenues. But not looking at new revenues means ultimately that we are making much deeper cuts and turning away literally hundreds of millions if not billions of dollars in federal money. The scale of the cuts is so large that they don’t detail themselves what those cuts would actually mean in terms of the human impact because it’s hard to figure how you make that level of cut.”