State Budget Coalition Talking Points
Butte County State Budget Coalition - Citizens Assembly, June 11, 2009
"WHAT WE WANT AND WHY WE'RE HERE"
We categorically reject Governor Schwarzenegger's assertion that the failure of Proposition 1A and related measures in the May Special Election somehow represented a "mandate" by the people of California for a "Cuts-Only Budget" solution.
Proposition 1A was rejected by the voters because it was a hastily and poorly-crafted measure that would not have solved the budget crisis but, in fact, would have worsened our budget situation in the years ahead. It is misleading and cynical to claim, as Governor Schwarzenegger does, that the rejection of Prop 1A signaled Californians' unwillingness to consider new revenue and tax fairness.
The "Cuts-Only Budget" solution will cause devastating harm to children and parents of working families, elders, people with disabilities, the chronically ill, the unemployed and the impoverished by shredding California's "social safety net."
The "Cuts-Only Budget" solution will cause the unemployment of social, home health, medical, child care and educational service providers. Thousands of Butte County workers will lose their jobs, which will cause further damage to an already wounded local economy.
The "Cuts-Only Budget" solution will cause thousands of frail elderly and disabled citizens to lose their essential home-based health and assistance services, forcing them from their homes and into institutions.
The "Cuts-Only Budget" solution is an extreme example of "penny-wise and pound-foolish" public policy, as institutional care for thousands of frail elderly and disabled citizens will be far more costly to California taxpayers. There will be no savings in this budget. It will bring only human suffering and economic damage.
Working families will suffer under the "Cuts-Only Budget" solution, as affordable child care and children's medical coverage will be lost.
The "Cuts-Only Budget" solution includes increased "looting" of local government coffers by the State of California. Butte County stands to lose an additional $59 Million to its already decimated budget. Local city governments will be similarly looted of essential funding.
Draconian cuts to the MediCal system being proposed by Governor Schwarzenegger, which serves extremely low income citizens and people with disabilities, will lead to unnecessary death and suffering from those who will lose access to diabetic care (podiatry), cancer treatment and HIV/AIDS medicines.
Social degradation caused by the "Cuts-Only Budget" solution will affect everyone. As unemployment spikes, foreclosures mount and vital "safety net" programs for families are lost, public safety and health systems will be stained to the breaking point. Local emergency rooms will flood with those seeking help.
The "Cuts-Only Budget" solution will deny 300,000 students a college education and increase class sizes in our public schools, weakening the education of our children and making California less economically competitive in the long term.
We support ALL Californians paying their fair share of the tax burden, including large corporations. Everyone should sacrifice to solve our state's budget problems - no individual or business should be exempt. We are calling for shared sacrifice and shared responsibility.
We believe that the taxing of oil production and the closing of tax loopholes and tax breaks should be included in the budget debate.
CONTACT: Evan LeVang 680-3484; Forest Harlan 896-1609
