Senate Republican Leader Bob Dutton (Rancho Cucamonga) released the following statement in response to Governor Jerry Brown’s proposal to increase taxes:

Clearly the governor has put tax hikes ahead of job creation. Californians have consistently voted down tax-only proposals. Senate Republicans continue a call to action on reforms first.  Only with reforms can we put Californians back to work and restore the people’s confidence in state government.

Senate Republican Leader Bob Dutton (Rancho Cucamonga) released the following statement in response to the Legislative Analyst Office (LAO) report, California’s Fiscal Outlook: The 2012-13 Budget:

As Senate Republicans pointed out earlier this year, the Democrats’ “Hope without Change” budget was built on false assumptions and gimmicks.

It’s unfortunate that our prediction in July that there would be a $13 billion shortfall was right on target.

Anyone could have predicted that it would take Legislative Democrats less than five minutes to say they plan to sidestep the trigger cuts they voted for and raise taxes instead.

Clearly Democrats are choosing to ignore the robust tax revenue growth forecast by the Legislative Analyst, as well as the fact that the budget gap is the result of new spending growth, one-time gimmicks and prior budget debts coming due.

It’s time to stop the majority-vote trickery and craft a real bipartisan solution.

Senator Huff states his opposition to AB 108, cleanup legislation for AB 114, which ties the hands of school districts by taking away local control and authority to make mid-year budget cuts through teacher layoffs or program cuts.