Today Democrat leadership passed a budget which faced bipartisan opposition.  Not a single Republican voted for a budget so flawed it even faced opposition from some Democrats. Tom Berryhill (R-Modesto) vocally opposed the spending plan and urged the Governor’s veto.

“There are so many things wrong with this budget and the way it was brought up today that I barely know where to start.

“First – this budget plan is incomplete. We are told there are at least 29 budget and related trailer bills yet we only voted on 9 bills. 

“Why can’t the majority party share the language – in print for 48 hours – that contains the rest of this budget plan?  This secretive, hide the ball budget process has got to stop. 

“Making this budget even more incomplete and disingenuous is the fact that this plan relies on voters approving a 7-year $47 billion tax increase in November.  When the voters reject that tax increase the Democrats and the Governor threaten to slash funding for education programs by $6 billion.  This means closing schools for 3-weeks.  Yet the Democrats rejected both the Legislative Analyst’s alternative and the Republican alternative plan which protects education funding and provides certainty for teachers, students, and local education communities. 

“Secondly – this plan is yet another smoke and mirror, gimmick filled, imbalanced fraud. This $16.2 billion budget “solution” is about 90% ($14.5 billion) tax increases and gimmicks, and only about 10% ($1.7 billion) real programmatic spending reductions.  It’s no surprise that even Governor Brown called this plan “structurally imbalanced.”

“Finally – This plan does not include even one single reform which will heal our economy and get Californians working again.  Where are the Governor’s pension reforms?  The public has made it clear, in no uncertain terms that they expect real reforms to address a pension system which is bankrupting our local governments.  Where is the spending cap plan that pays down debt, protects education and ends the constant deficit spending?  And when are we going to address the regulatory climate which is driving jobs out of California?

“This budget is a slow motion train wreck – and the Democrats are driving. If they think the voters are going to approve their tax increases come November if all they are offered is this sham, they are sadly out of touch.  I urge the Governor to veto this budget.”

Senator Berryhill represents Fresno, Madera, Mariposa, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Tuolumne Counties.