California is facing a budget crisis of unprecedented scope.  Tough but fair decisions will need to be made.  Essential state services should be prioritized by California’s values.  Blind, across the board cuts to most state programs is a recipe for disaster.

Our public schools will be forced to layoff teachers and increase class size.  Forty-eight state parks are on the chopping block.  Thousands of prisoners will be released from their cells early.  And, over $20 million in cuts are proposed to programs that assist veterans and current members of the armed forces.

These are just a few and here are more examples of their blind cuts.

This budget crisis requires an attitude that goes beyond simply saying “NO” to every solution.

Political compromise is essential to making state government responsive to the needs of a state with almost forty million residents; a state deemed an economic superpower just by itself.  Real give-and-take dialogue between the political parties within the Legislature and between the Legislature and the Administration is the correct recipe for a balanced and ethical state budget.

Your budget requires a bipartisan approach that will bring long-term spending and revenues into balance.

Empower yourself by being involved in the budget process.  Help to ensure that the budget is fair; that it is not merely balanced on the backs of our children, the elderly, disabled and our women and men in uniform.