In order to address the state’s immediate cash crisis, help protect jobs tied to threatened transportation projects, and tackle a major piece of the looming state budget deficit, Assembly Speaker Karen Bass and Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg today announced the Assembly and Senate will advance a package of $18 billion in real cuts, new revenues and other solutions that can be approved by majority vote.  The package will be taken up during Assembly and Senate sessions later today. 

“Because of the state’s historic fiscal crisis and the refusal of legislative Republicans to support solutions that require a two-thirds vote, Democrats have no choice but to move forward and do what we can on our own,” Bass said. “Had Republicans stepped up to join us we could have made even more progress toward solving California’s deficit, but we are prepared today to make real progress on that deficit and address the state’s immediate cash crisis.” 

Below are five audio clips of Speaker Bass today from the announcement of the Democrat’s $18 billion solutions package:

Speaker Bass says she would have preferred to take a bigger bite out of the state’s budget problem but the Republican lawmakers refused to participate in the needed solutions. (:12) 

Speaker Bass says Democrats will solve some of the state’s financial crisis without any Republican votes. (:11) 

Speaker Bass says she and the Senate leader are committed to solving the state’s budget crisis. (:09) 

Speaker Bass says because of the state’s financial crisis and the GOP lawmakers refusal to participate in the needed budget solutions, Democrats are going to do what can be done to ease the state’s cash crisis.(:21) 

Speaker Bass says she expects the Governor will be happy to see a partial solution to the budget problem. (:19)

Website of Speaker Bass: www.asm.ca.gov/speaker