(SACRAMENTO, CA) The following is a statement released by Assemblymember Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa), Chair of the Assembly Democratic Caucus, on the Governor’s State of the State Address.

“Californians value public education, safety nets for the poor and disabled, public safety, transportation, and environmental protection.  For years we have compromised these programs by cutting their funding in a vain effort to balance the budget.  This vicious cycle cannot continue.  Difficult choices are ahead and all options must be on the table.

The Governor has put himself, and us, in a tight spot.  He, along with most of his Republican colleagues in the Legislature, pledged not to support new taxes.  He has solved past budget problems by borrowing, which has only contributed to our ongoing deficit.  He also insisted on eliminating the vehicle license fee while maintaining the services it paid for.  These two items account for more than half of our current deficit.  The Governor and his Republican colleagues have run out of smoke and mirrors.  California needs real leadership and real solutions, not rigid ideology.

Tonight, the Governor proposed more budget gimmicks which the voters have already rejected.  Our budget cannot be balanced this year by cuts alone or by giving the Governor more power to make cuts.

There are solutions to our budget crisis that the majority of Californians support.  We have the chance to be creative about how our government works and to reform our seriously dysfunctional budget adoption process.