SACRAMENTO – At 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 25th the California State Assembly will meet to debate and vote on a strong package of solutions to address the current year budget shortfall, prevent a cash shortage next spring, and significantly lower the projected 2009-2010 budget deficit. The package will be a combination of $8.1 billion in cuts, $8.1 billion in new revenues, and $800 million in other solutions.

“The cuts and revenue increases we are going to vote on in session Tuesday are real, with no gimmicks or new borrowing, and they are consistent with the recommendations of the non-partisan Legislative Analyst’s Office,” Assembly Speaker Karen Bass said. “This package contains difficult cuts and revenue increases that are tough for everyone to swallow, but they are what is needed to address our fiscal disaster responsibly and they should be supported by a strong majority in each caucus – Democratic and Republican. I’m confident Assembly Democrats will once again step up to the plate and show real leadership by accepting cuts we don’t like, as we already have. California needs our Republican colleagues to finally do the same regarding revenues. We are running out of time.”

Details on the cuts and revenues, which have all been proposed in some form previously, will be announced Tuesday.

Here are links to audio of Speaker Bass:

• Speaker Bass says the budget solutions to be voted on Tuesday afternoon are tough, responsible and desperately needed.
• Speaker Bass says failure to approve the budget package immediately could lead to a more serious crisis in just a few months.
• Speaker Bass says the GOP lawmakers need to join the Democrats, put ideology aside and do what’s needed.
• Speaker Bass says the unfortunate truth of the state’s current fiscal crisis is the spending cuts need to be approved.
• Speaker Bass says Tuesday’s floor session is not a drill, its needed action to salvage the state budget.