ASSEMBLYMEMBER KAREN BASS
47TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT
For Immediate Release: August 7, 2008
Contact: Steve Maviglio
Phone: (916) 319-2408

(Sacramento) – California Assembly Speaker Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) told reporters this afternoon, following the Assembly floor session, she’s disappointed with the Republican lawmaker’s political gamesmanship on the floor today. Speaker Bass says 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. 

Video: 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.

Here are links to audio of Speaker Bass and Assemblymember John Laird (D-Santa Cruz), the Chair of the Assembly Budget Committee:

• Assembly Speaker Karen Bass’ entire floor statement following the GOP lawmaker’s call for a vote on the Conference Committee’s budget. (2:06)
  
  
• Assembly Speaker Karen Bass says the GOP’s call for a vote is disappointing political gamesmanship.
  
  
• Assembly Speaker Karen Bass explains one of the reasons why there was not a vote on the budget today.
  
  
• Assembly Speaker Karen Bass says a hard spending cap, like the one proposed by the Republican lawmakers, will make it impossible to fund programs that are cut during hard economic times.
  
  
• Assembly Speaker Karen Bass says another rigid spending formula will just make it harder to approve a budget.
  
  
• Assemblymember John Laird says the Republican lawmakers are holding the budget hostage and refusing to say what they want in the budget.
  
  
• Assemblymember John Laird’s entire floor statement responding to the GOP calls for a vote on the Conference Committee Budget. (3:10)

Below are addresses of two budget-related websites:

• Budget Website of Assembly Democrats
  
  
• Website of Speaker Karen Bass