Title: The "Yes" Side: Schwarzenegger, Bass, Steinberg, Et. Al. Talk About the Loss

Author: Steven Maviglio

Date: May 20, 2009 8:25:46 AM or Wed, 20 May 2009 08:25:46

Summary: 

Budget Reform Now Coalition members Governor Schwarzenegger, Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, Assembly, Republican Leader Mike Villines, Senator Dave Cogdill, Cal Chamber, AARP, PORAC, California Alliance for Jobs, and the California Professional Firefighters each made the statements below regarding the results of the Special Election last night.
 
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger:
 
"Tonight we have heard from the voters and I respect the will of the people who are frustrated with the dysfunction in our budget system. Now we must move forward from this point to begin to address our fiscal crisis with constructive solutions. We face a staggering $21.3 billion deficit and in order to prevent a fiscal disaster, Democrats and Republicans must collaborate and work together to address this shortfall. The longer we wait the worse the problem becomes and the more limited our choices will be. That is why tomorrow, we will come together to begin to develop a budget solution that gets our state back on track.
 
"We must also continue to fight for real, comprehensive budget reform that brings stability to California's budget process and forces the state to save in the good times so that we do not face these kinds of deep deficits, devastating cuts and tax increases when the economy takes a downturn. I have been working to accomplish this kind of reform since I was elected in 2003 and I will keep working toward it because we cannot allow this harmful and out-of-control budget process to continue."
 
Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento):
 
"The voters have spoken and they are telling us that government should do the best it can with the money it has. We will immediately and responsibly get to work to balance the budget and head off a cash crisis in July. Delay is not an option. The necessary decisions we must make will only get harder with time."
 
Assembly Speaker Karen Bass:
 
"There are many difficult choices and a lot of hard work ahead of us.  We now have to responsibly fill the budget hole that has been caused by the national recession and deepened by the failure of today's ballot propositions.  I hope the bipartisan cooperation between the Legislature and the Governor that went into this effort will continue as we move forward - the people of California clearly expect us to work together to get the job done.  And we will.  I do want to thank tonight the teachers, firefighters, business leaders and other Californians who worked in support of these propositions in hopes of warding off more devastating cuts to vital services. Their commitment to a better California should be appreciated by everyone on both sides of these initiatives."

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Body: 

Budget Reform Now Coalition members Governor Schwarzenegger, Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, Assembly, Republican Leader Mike Villines, Senator Dave Cogdill, Cal Chamber, AARP, PORAC, California Alliance for Jobs, and the California Professional Firefighters each made the statements below regarding the results of the Special Election last night.
 
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger:
 
"Tonight we have heard from the voters and I respect the will of the people who are frustrated with the dysfunction in our budget system. Now we must move forward from this point to begin to address our fiscal crisis with constructive solutions. We face a staggering $21.3 billion deficit and in order to prevent a fiscal disaster, Democrats and Republicans must collaborate and work together to address this shortfall. The longer we wait the worse the problem becomes and the more limited our choices will be. That is why tomorrow, we will come together to begin to develop a budget solution that gets our state back on track.
 
"We must also continue to fight for real, comprehensive budget reform that brings stability to California's budget process and forces the state to save in the good times so that we do not face these kinds of deep deficits, devastating cuts and tax increases when the economy takes a downturn. I have been working to accomplish this kind of reform since I was elected in 2003 and I will keep working toward it because we cannot allow this harmful and out-of-control budget process to continue."
 
Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento):
 
"The voters have spoken and they are telling us that government should do the best it can with the money it has. We will immediately and responsibly get to work to balance the budget and head off a cash crisis in July. Delay is not an option. The necessary decisions we must make will only get harder with time."
 
Assembly Speaker Karen Bass:
 
"There are many difficult choices and a lot of hard work ahead of us.  We now have to responsibly fill the budget hole that has been caused by the national recession and deepened by the failure of today's ballot propositions.  I hope the bipartisan cooperation between the Legislature and the Governor that went into this effort will continue as we move forward - the people of California clearly expect us to work together to get the job done.  And we will.  I do want to thank tonight the teachers, firefighters, business leaders and other Californians who worked in support of these propositions in hopes of warding off more devastating cuts to vital services. Their commitment to a better California should be appreciated by everyone on both sides of these initiatives."
 
Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines (R-Fresno):
 
"My goal in placing these initiatives on the ballot was to start to get our budget under control and help California begin to live within its means. Even though voters did not support our approach, I believe it is clear from this election that voters want the Governor and the legislature to achieve both those goals. The biggest mistake we could make in the aftermath of this election is not enacting serious reform.
 
"California has a big problem moving forward. We need a spending cap now more than ever, and only through spending reform and reductions will we be able to get California back on track. I believe California can emerge from this crisis fiscally sound and strong, but there is a long and difficult road ahead."
 
Senator Dave Cogdill (R-Modesto):
 
"California voters may have sent state leaders back to the drawing board, but it's not a mandate to abandon reform.  Until we break this circle of dysfunction, California will be plagued with chronicbudget deficits.  Ensuring government lives within its means is the only way to prevent the boom-bust cycle that keeps repeating itself."
 
Allan Zaremberg, President of the Cal Chamber:
 
"The message from voters to Sacramento on Tuesday was loud and clear:  No additional taxes.  Voters expect our elected officials to do their job and bring expenditures into line with existing revenues.  Legislators must govern in a responsible manner and exercise fiscal discipline.  There can be no more business as usual.
 
"The number one issue for voters is jobs and the economy.  It is about time that became the same priority for our elected officials. The only way we will grow revenues is through a robust economy.  More regulations, mandates, and increased costs on employers will kill more jobs.  Sacramento must make rebuilding California's economy job one."
 
Ron Cottingham, President of the Peace Officers Research Association of California:
 
"The results tonight show that voters are rightfully frustrated, but for the sake of public safety in this state we must act quickly to move forward from here to address this state's serious fiscal crisis. We know that with a $20 billion budget deficit the cuts are coming and we are committed to working with the Governor and the Legislature to find a solution while also ensuring funding for public safety is protected."
 
Jeannine English, California State President of AARP:
 
"It is important that we all move forward from tonight with a renewed commitment to work together to address California's serious budget problems. The deficit we face means more cuts to important healthcare and other programs that many Californians rely on. These cuts will be devastating and we look forward to working with the Governor and Legislature to do everything possible to ease the impact of this budget crisis on the most vulnerable among us."
 
Jim Earp, Executive Director of the California Alliance for Jobs:
 
"While this election made clear that voters are upset about the current state of affairs inSacramento, it is crucial that we put politics aside and act quickly to address this crisis. If we do not, the state will find itself right back where we were just a few months ago when infrastructure projects, and the thousands of jobs that go with them, were one day from shutting down. In this economic environment we simply cannot let that happen and that is why the California Alliance for Jobs is dedicated to working with our leaders in Sacramento to find resolution to this budget crisis."
 
Lou Paulson, President of the California Professional Firefighters:
 
"We're obviously disappointed with tonight's election results, and especially with the extraordinarily low voter turnout.
 
"The voters' cynicism is understandable. These propositions were nobody's first choice. But the math is inescapable. Today's results will make it harder to protect vital local fire and police services. Fire stations will close. Police officers will be laid off. Public safety will be affected.
 
"No matter what happened this evening, California's fiscal crisis was going to force some excruciating choices for policy makers. Tonight's election results dramatically complicate that task.
 
"Firefighters across California are working with their local governing agencies to minimize the impact of the fiscal crisis on vital public services. We remain committed to fixing California's broken fiscal system without compromising government's core responsibility to protect the safety of the citizens we serve."

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