ASSEMBLYMEMBER TED LIEU
53RD ASSEMBLY DISTRICT
For Immediate Release: January 8, 2008
Contact: David Ford
Phone: (916) 319-2053

Statement of Assemblymember Ted Lieu in Reaction to the State of the State Address

“I fully agree with the Governor – this state is in a fiscal emergency.  The mortgage foreclosure crisis, a slowing economy, and inadequate Federal funding have combined to put our State in a fiscal bind.

We can’t overlook the role of the Bush Administration in California’s problems.  The President has twice vetoed bipartisan congressional bills, like last year’s State Children’s Health Insurance Program bill, that would have helped many of the most vulnerable Californians. We are still the largest donor state to the Federal Government.   The Governor promised five years ago that he would be the ‘Collectinator,’ bringing more Federal Dollars back to this State.  We keep waiting, but the results still aren’t there, primarily because of President Bush’s veto pen. 

At this point, we need to put everything on the table and work in a bipartisan fashion, not only to balance the Budget this year, but to ensure that we don’t keep going through these boom-and-bust cycles.

In the Assembly, we are taking immediate steps to alleviate this crisis.  The Speaker has already announced, and I fully support, a 10% cut in the Operating Budget of the Assembly.  And I have also refused to accept a pay raise approved by the Citizens Compensation Commission.

I look forward to working in a bipartisan manner to work through this crisis and address the needs of all Californians.”