While the Governor has worked hard with members of the Administration to prepare the budget we will begin to consider today, which I have introduced as Assembly Bill 90, the Committee's process is the first time the people will be brought into this discussion.

As a sign of our seriousness of purpose, and desire to involve as many Californians as possible in our deliberations, several important steps of the legislative budget process are being moved earlier this year than in the past:

• Today's first overview hearing is earlier than similar hearings in prior years.
  
• The detailed committee budget overview, available today, has been prepared and released earlier this year; and
  
• Budget Subcommittee hearings will begin about one month earlier than is tradition.
  

This committee's major responsibility is to review the Governor's budget and come up with an alternative. Toward that end a number of legislative hearings – both Assembly and Senate – will be held across the state to better involve Californians in the budget process. The difficult choices in front of us require that the people of California have their say on these choices.

Last year, after the Governor's January budget was released – bipartisan effort led to the passage of budget-related ballot measures in March and a final budget that bridged differences on major issues. The message was clear. The Governor and Legislature were most successful when working in a bipartisan manner. We stand ready to work together in this session, and our early start and focus on issues is a demonstration of that commitment.

Most of the concerns raised by the Governor in his State of the State speech, for which the Special Session has been called, do not materially affect the budget that is in front of us today. I hope the discussion on those matters will not distract us from a difficult task – using limited state resources as an economic development strategy for investment in the state's future.

Too often, the budget debate is couched in cold financial terms and not in the goals we all have for California's future. These hearings should be about articulating those goals – and defining our ability to meet them.

We will begin our work in the subcommittees the week after next by asking how the budget will address a major policy goal we have in each subcommittee's area of interest.

For Subcommittee One, Health and Human Services, the Governor proposes major changes in how California supports its senior population. This budget year will be the year that the first baby boomers turn sixty. How does our budget address that change?

For Subcommittee Two, Education, the Governor proposes sweeping changes in financial support for public schools. What is our long-term goal for education in California, in turning out graduates equipped for our dynamic and ever-changing economy? How does this budget address that goal?

For Subcommittee Three, Resources, the ability of the state to meet its mission of environmental protection has steadily eroded. What is our long-term goal for healthy air quality, clean water, and protection of public lands? How does this budget address that goal?

For Subcommittee Four, General Government, the issue is the review of the prison system budget. How do we intend to protect public safety in the most cost-efficient manner? How does this budget address that goal?

In Subcommittee Five, Transportation and Information Technology, is the question of the future of the state's transportation network. Toward the goal of lessening traffic congestion and making sure that businesses in California can move goods and services in an efficient manner, how will be invest in California's transportation system? How does this budget meet our transportation goals?

We have to ask these essential questions with an understanding of economic reality. We have to ask these questions within the context of understanding whether our government is efficient and cost-effective. And we have to ask these questions with a sense for what future we want for California.

This is a big challenge – but we are taking action earlier than ever before, we will do it with greater involvement of the public, and we look forward to doing it in a spirit of bipartisanship. It's time to get on with the task.