CDCAN Report #261-2008: Governor and Legislature Bickering Grows Heated As Deficit Soars Higher
Date: Friday December 12, 2008Posted in: Advocacy, Funding, Legal
Tagged: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Budget, California, California Disability Community Action Network, Darrell Steinberg, Dave Cogdill, Karen Bass, Mike Villines, Noreen Evans
California Budget Crisis:
- Assembly Budget Committee Members Appointed
- Legislative Democratic Leaders Respond to Governor
- Republican Leaders Lash Back At Governor
Bickering Between Governor and Legislature Grows Heated As Budget Deficit Swells to Nearly $15 Billion – Disability and Senior Advocates Fear More Proposals for Bigger and New Cuts in January As Fight To Stop Mid-Year Budget Cuts Continues In Budget Subcommittee Hearings
SACRAMENTO (CDCAN) - In response to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s strong criticism of the Legislature’s stalemate on a solution to the growing state budget crisis Wednesday afternoon (December 10), Legislative Democratic leaders blamed the problems causing the delay on the Republican Governor and his inability to “convince even a few of his Republican colleagues to compromise”. Republican legislative leaders – who were the named target in some of the Governor’s remarks at a press conference earlier on Wednesday, responded back with some harsh words for both Schwarzenegger and Legislative Democrats.
Bickering Grows Heated As Budget Deficit Swells to Nearly $15 Billion
The bickering between the Governor and Legislature – and among both parties in the Legislature grew heated as the budget deficit grew from $11.2 billion earlier in November to nearly $15 billion. The latest figures, released during the press conference by the Governor, was more grim news that disability, mental health, and senior advocates fear will mean more proposals for bigger and new cuts to critical programs and services when the Governor releases his proposed 2009-2010 State budget on January 10th.
California State Council Letters to Committees and Governor
Date: Tuesday December 9, 2008Posted in: Advocacy, Funding, Health, Housing
Tagged: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Budget, California, California State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants, Darrell Steinberg, Dave Cogdill, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Social Services, In-Home Supportive Services, Independent Living, Karen Bass, Medi-Cal, Mike Villines, Regional Centers, State Supplemental Payment, Supplemental Security Income, Taxes, Wages
In an effort to persuade the Governor and legislators to limit the impact of budget cuts and revenue increases against people with disabilities. As funding gets cut on all the essential services allowing people to live independently, potential elimination of cost of living increases with the addition of new tax increases, the budget cuts disproportionately affect those with disabilities. The California SCDD has made its position clear in saying that in past fiscal years, it is always health and human services that sustains the disproportionate amount of cuts compared to other services.
Attached to this post are PDF copies of letters delivered to legislators and the Governor:
- California SCDD Letter to the Governor Opposing Proposed Budget Cuts for Fiscal Year 2008-2009
- California SCDD Letter to Top Legislators Opposing Proposed Budget Cuts
- California SCDD Proposed Budget Cuts Talking Points
- California SCDD Temporary Senate Roster - 2008-12-01
CDCAN Report #247-2008: Democratic Proposal Defeated in Assembly - Deadlock In Legislature on Budget Shortfall
Date: Friday November 28, 2008Posted in: Education, Funding, Health, Legislation
Tagged: Budget, California, California Disability Community Action Network, CalWORKs, Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants, Dave Cogdill, Department of Health and Human Services, In-Home Supportive Services, John Laird, Karen Bass, Medi-Cal, Regional Centers, State Supplemental Payment, Supplemental Security Income, Taxes
There was a memo posted earlier regarding these cuts, but this is the more verbose message from Marty Omoto of the California Disability Community Action Network.
SACRAMENTO (CDCAN) - Two bills containing proposals by legislative Democrats to cut spending by $8.1 billion and raise new revenues also by $8.1 billion over 18 months, were defeated in the Assembly, failing to win any Republican votes. Both Democrats and Republicans in both houses remain far apart on how to solve the budget deficit. A bill to cut spending in the Assembly was defeated 40 to 30, falling 14 votes short of approval. And a bill to raise taxes and other revenues, failed to win approval by 41 to 31, falling 15 votes short. Democratic Assemblymember Nicole Parra of Hanford, who is termed out, voted against both bills, defying Assembly Speaker Karen Bass.
Assembly Speaker Karen Bass said if the Assembly Republicans would have given their votes for revenues, Assembly Democrats had been prepared to consider other spending cuts and even the idea of a spending cap. She urged members to put ideology aside and to put their futures “at risk” .and warned that doing nothing and that California was headed for a economic “train wreck”.
Schwarzenegger and Legislature Reach Deal for California’s Budget
Date: Thursday September 18, 2008Posted in: Funding, Legal
Tagged: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Budget, California, Dave Cogdill, Don Perata, Karen Bass, Taxes
On Tuesday the Governor threatened to veto any budget that did not plan for rainy-day funds for times of fiscal trouble. The Governor also said that if the legislature overrides the Governor’s veto of the budget (which is planned), he would veto more than 800 bills, which would effectively create the rainy-day fund.
Today, the Governor and top legislators reached a deal which would avoid the Governor’s planned veto of the budget thus circumventing the veto of over 800 bills scheduled to reach his desk once the budget passes. Instead of increasing tax withholdings from the paychecks of Californians, the increased penalties for corporations for late payment of taxes will raise the $1.6 billion for the rainy-day fund.
Though a deal was reached, much of the $15.2 billion short coming in California’s budget would be pushed into future years.
Read the whole LA Times article here: Schwarzenegger, top legislators reach a budget deal
California Budget Crisis May Soon Be Over
Date: Sunday September 14, 2008Posted in: Funding
Tagged: Budget, California, Dave Cogdill, Don Perata, Karen Bass, Mike Villines
CDCAN #141-2008: Governor Proposes Temporary Sales Tax Increase Tied to Spending Control
Date: Tuesday August 5, 2008Posted in: Advocacy, Civil Liberties, Employment, Funding, Health, Legislation, Media
Tagged: Adult Day Health Care, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Assembly Appropriations Committee, Assembly Budget Committee, Assembly Health Committee, Budget, Budget Conference Committee, Budget Stabilization Act, California, California Disability Community Action Network, Dario Frommer, Darrell Steinberg, Dave Cogdill, Dean Florez, Debra Bowen, Don Perata, Executive Order, Fabian Nunez, Gloria Romero, John Chiang, Karen Bass, Medi-Cal, Medicaid, Mike Villines, Senate Bill 434 (Romero) (California), Senate Budget Committee, Senate Governmental Organization Committee, State Supplemental Payment, Supplemental Security Income, Wages
California Budget Crisis - Day 35
- GOVERNOR PROPOSES 1 CENT SALES TAX INCREASE
- INCREASE TIED TO CONTROLLING BUDGET SPENDING
- ISSUE OF REVENUES HAS MAJOR IMPACT ON SPENDING
- Important Hearing On Budget Related Bill SB 434 - Aug 5th
Disability & Senior Advocates Worry About Spending Caps On Critical Programs and Services - Budget Delay Impact Will Soon Hit Hard on Community-Based Services and Supports As Providers Go Without Any Payment from State
SACRAMENTO (CDCAN) - Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger proposed to legislative leaders on Sunday, a temporary sales tax increase of 1 cent that would raise about $5 billion per year to help close the State’s $15.2 billion budget gap in exchange for major budget reform proposals to control spending and new authority to cut spending in future years. The proposal calls for the State’s sale tax increase to be in place for 3 to 4 years, followed by a gradual decrease in that tax to a point below what it is now (7.25%).
California is now 35 days without a State budget.
The issues and debate on raising new revenues is critical because at stake - depending on which proposals to raise revenues are adopted - are billions of dollars in spending for programs and services that impact hundreds of thousands of children and adults with disabilities, mental health needs, low income seniors, and low income families.
