Latest News
GOP Lawmakers Playing Political Games, Holding Budget Hostage
(Sacramento) – California Assembly Speaker Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) said following Thursday’s Assembly floor session, she’s disappointed with the political gamesmanship from Republican lawmakers who demanded a vote on the state budget. Speaker Bass said GOP lawmakers should not be complaining about the lack of a vote on a budget when they will not produce their own version of a budget, are refusing to support the budget produced by the two-house legislative conference committee or the budget proposal from the Governor. The Speaker says Assembly Democrats are working hard to produce a balanced budget for Californians that protects their values, including education, health care, public safety and infrastructure needs. Here’s more from Speaker Bass in this Assembly Access Video.
GOP Lawmakers Holding Budget Hostage
(Sacramento) – California Assembly Budget Committee Chair John Laird (D-Santa Cruz) says Republican lawmakers are playing political games with the state budget. During Thursday’s Assembly floor session GOP lawmakers demanded a vote on a state budget. But Assemblymember Laird says that’s political gamesmanship since Republican lawmakers will not produce their own version of a budget, are refusing to support the budget produced by the two-house legislative conference committee or the budget proposal from the Governor. Assemblymember Laird says the GOP is holding the budget hostage and refusing to send a ransom note. Here’s more from Budget Committee Chair Laird in this Assembly Access Video.
Assembly Democrats Protect Education and Health Care
(Sacramento) – Assembly Speaker Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) surrounded by Assembly Democrats and joined by Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata announced the passing of the budget by the Budget Conference Committee . The plan rejects the Governor’s deep cuts in education and health care and includes $9.7 billion in new revenue, which is $2.7 billion more in new revenue than what the Governor proposed.
The Conference Committee budget is a balanced approach. It closes tax loopholes and rolls back tax breaks for corporations and the wealthy and cracks down on tax cheats. The details on this web report.
Democrats Condemn Republicans' Budget Tactics
(Sacramento) - Republican legislators have made it clear they intend to exploit California’s budget crisis to push through policy goals that are unrelated to the budget situation. Assembly Speaker Karen Bass replied to their proposals with a simple, “Not on my watch.” The Speaker was joined by members of the Assembly Democratic Caucus and advocates for the environment, workers rights and the disabled at a capitol news conference to condemn the GOP efforts to roll back protections. Speaker Bass says what the Republicans are really asking for is dirtier air; less access for the disabled, unprotected workers and damaged crops and tourism. Here’s more in an Assembly Web Report.
Speaker Bass Working For More Federal Funds for California
(Sacramento) – State Assembly Speaker Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) has concluded three days of talks in Washington DC with federal lawmakers in an effort to secure more federal funds for California. California currently receives only 79 cents for every dollar we pay in federal taxes. Speaker Bass met with Senator Dianne Feinstein, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and other members of the California Congressional delegation. The Speaker says her meetings focused on an extension of federal unemployment benefits, assistance for public safety programs, education funding and long-term solutions to California water issues. Bass said she was encouraged by her meetings. Here’s more in this Assembly Web Report.
Assembly Democrats Focus on State Budget During Policy Summit
(Sacramento) – Schools will suffer. Programs for the poor and the elderly will be reduced or eliminated. Parks and beaches will be closed. Those are just a few of the results from Governor Schwarzenegger’s proposed across the board 10-percent budget cuts. But, as we learn in this Assembly Web Report, Speaker Fabian Núñez (D-Los Angeles), Speaker-elect Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles), Democratic Caucus Chair Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa), and Budget Committee Chair John Laird (D-Santa Cruz) are leading the charge by Assembly Democrats to find a more balanced approach to solving California’s financial crisis.
Assembly Democrats Vote for Schools, Republicans Vote for Big Oil
(Sacramento) – The same week thousands of layoff notices were delivered to teachers and school staffs throughout California Assembly Democrats voted for new legislation that would have reduced the number of layoffs by closing the “gusher giveaway” tax break for oil companies. But Assembly Bill 3x 9 failed to get the two-thirds vote needed for passage because Assembly Republicans voted against education and for Big Oil. Just last month the Assembly Republicans also killed an effort to close a tax loophole for wealthy yacht owners. Democrats insist the state’s multi-billion dollar budget deficit be eliminated with a mix of cuts and new revenues, not through the “across the board, spending cuts only” approach proposed by the Governor. There’s more in this Assembly Web Report…
California's Budget-How We Got Here and Where We Should Go
Appeared on the California Progress Report and in the Santa Cruz Sentinel
Published by John Laird, March 30, 2008
The most successful national candidates this year have tapped into a desire for public officials to be direct and truthful with the voters, along with leading the nation away from the partisan divides that have seemed to sap our ability to achieve progress. Five years ago I entered the legislature with this same hope, and while I've been successful on many fronts, this sentiment in regard to the state budget continues to be absent.
Arnold Schwarzenegger ran for governor in the 2003 Recall election as a candidate who would end gridlock and get things done. In that campaign, he pledged to lower the car tax, balance the budget and not cut education. At the time I said keeping all three pledges would be impossible-and a year later Schwarzenegger broke his pledge and cut education.
Assembly Republicans Protecting Yacht Owners
(Sacramento) – Assembly Republicans have voted to protect the wealthy, yacht-owning, Thurston Howell the Thirds from paying taxes on their expensive boats. Speaker Fabian Núñez (D-Los Angeles) says its callous and reckless for Republicans to protect the yacht owners by refusing to close a tax loophole while at the same time voting for spending cuts to the poor, the elderly and school. In this Assembly Web Report the Speaker says the yacht tax loophole votes by Assembly Republicans shows their priorities are not the same as most Californians.