A Compromise Budget For All Californians
This year, we have heard Republicans and Democrats in the Legislature talk about our budget system, but the time for talk is over – it is time for everyone to compromise and get this done.
Republicans must step out of their ideological corner on the right and Democrats must step out of their corner on the left. It is time for us to meet in the middle and compromise so we can move on with other vital business for all Californians.
That’s why yesterday I announced a compromise budget proposal that addresses our $15.2 billion deficit, makes additional spending cuts, increases revenues, and most importantly reforms our broken budget system.
There are elements of this proposal that both parties in the Legislature must compromise on. Democrats must compromise on spending cuts and limits on future spending in exchange for a budget that includes a revenue increase to meet their priorities. Republicans must compromise to allow a temporary sales tax increase that decreases after three years in exchange for a long term fix that solves our systemic budget problems. I have compromised too.
Neither A Borrower Nor A Lender Be
As Shakespeare tells the story in his famous play Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark (Hamlet) wanted desperately to impart some fatherly wisdom to his son who was leaving for a trip to France (perhaps for a junior year abroad?) when he uttered the immortal phrase “[n]either a borrower nor a lender be, for loan oft loses both itself and friend…” Where is Hamlet when we need him today?
The Governor and just about every other source tell us at least two (if not actually three) of the legislative leaders are flirting with the idea of the state incurring more operating debt by borrowing from a wide range of local government and other voter approved and protected funds. Some legislators and legislative staffers are even saying as recently as yesterday that the state would even pay local governments’ costs to “securitize” the state’s promise to repay them. Does it sound too good to be true? It is and it’s also reckless and expensive.
Republicans should act to place a Water Bond on this November’s ballot
Some have written on these pages against placing a proposed water bond on this November’s ballot. But any Republican interested in fostering and strengthening our state’s economy, business climate, and the quality of our drinking water needs to join me and place a comprehensive bond on this November’s ballot.
The bottom line is that our water crisis is real, and we need to get real about addressing it.
Even in the face of a daunting deficit, we can’t afford NOT to act on our water crisis immediately. Failure to act now could turn a crisis into a catastrophe. What are big problems today could become catastrophes tomorrow.
Water shortages have already forced farmers to let thousands of acres of crops die, resulting in millions in economic damages, thousands of lost jobs and less California-grown food that fuels our economy and feeds our families.