SACRAMENTO – Assembly Speaker Emeritus Fabian Núñez (D-Los Angeles) today issued the following statement after Republican legislators made it clear to the press and to the Democratic leadership that they intend to exploit California’s budget crisis to push through policy goals that are unrelated to the budget situation:

“It’s clear the Republicans are attempting to take unrelated issues hostage in the budget, because they are feeling the heat and looking for ways to duck the tough issues of finding new revenues or making further cuts.

In terms of Republicans wanting to delay implementation of AB 32, Californians should reject this job-killing stance that will only put California at a disadvantage against the other states looking to be the home base for the emerging green economy.

AB 32 not only provides incentives to reduce pollution, it unleashes entrepreneurs to pursue clean technologies. One study found meeting the limit we've established will create 83,000 jobs. 83,000 workers are a lot of hostages for Republican legislators to be taking.

I urge my Republican colleagues to move past these distractions and focus on the real issues before us in the budget.”