California’s Fiscal Emergency: Budget Town Hall meeting on the Governor's proposed budget cuts.
 
Assemblymember Torrico and his guests:
Jean Ross, Executive Director -The California Budget Project
Rick Pratt, Assistant Executive Director- CA School Boards Assoc.
& Trisha Tahmasbi, Trustee - Ohlone College Board
 
Wednesday February 27th, 6:00-7:30pm
Fremont Main Library- Fukaya Room
2400 Stevenson Blvd., Fremont
 
Among the Governor's proposed cuts:
* Reduces K-12 funding by almost 10%
* Denies access to thousands of potential college students
* Terminates aid to low income children in CalWORKS
* Eliminates dental and optometric care for the poor
* Suspends cost of living adjustments to low income seniors
* Reduces state support for veterans homes
* Reduces property and rental tax assistance for seniors
 
The California Budget Project
Jean Ross, Executive Director; independent fiscal and policy analysis and public education with the goal of improving public policies affecting the economic and social well-being of low- and middle-income Californians.
www.cbp.org

California School Boards Association
Rick Pratt, Assistant Executive Director
www.csba.org 

Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO)
Nonpartisan office which provides fiscal and policy information and advice to the Legislature; see LAO’s budget report.
www.lao.ca.gov

California Teachers Association
www.cta.org

On Jan. 10, the Governor declared a fiscal emergency and called the Legislature into special session to confront a $14.5 billion deficit in the budget year and to stave off a cash crisis.  Within the required 45 days, the Assembly Budget Committee and its subcommittees held 22 meetings, reviewed all of the Governor’s proposals and ultimately put forth a bipartisan mid-year budget package that was mostly approved by the Legislature and signed into law. 

The package rejects the Governor’s across the board approach and some of his more drastic proposals.  It puts off 10 percent cuts in Medi-Cal provider rates that will be revisited before July and rejects cuts to optional Medi-Cal benefits.  Where able we worked to preserve a decent safety net for vulnerable Californians.

Now as work begins on the 2008-09 year, it is critical that the state budget reflects our priorities and embodies our shared values.  We must move forward with a balanced approach that eliminates our deficit but maintains key investments in California’s future.  Both K-12 and higher education are vital to our economy and a strong, civic-minded society.   Investing in our aging infrastructure is a must, as is protecting public safety programs and services that aid the elderly and disabled.

Our state is at its greatest when we share our sacrifices and work for the common good.  As your representative, I will seek solutions to our budget crisis that spread the pain, invest in our future and protect the most vulnerable among us.