Democrats Never Learn

For a good summary of what happened during this latest round of budget negotiations in California, what happened in the past, and what needs to happen in the future, click here now.

Schwarzenegger Declares Fiscal Emergency to Force More Cuts

After rejecting Democratic proposals to help close California's $24 billion budget deficit through new taxes on oil companies and cigarettes and alcoholic beverages that are supported by a majority of California voters, Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared a state of fiscal emergency in California in order to be able to impose the types of budget cuts that he previously sought in May.

Under Schwarzenegger's state of fiscal emergency, the state legislature has 45 days to devise another budget plan to close the state's more than $24 billion deficit.

After 45 days, legislators cannot adjourn or act on other bills until they solve the crisis.

Meanwhile, Schwarzenegger has ordered the closure of state offices three days a month along with the associated furlough of 235,000 state employees on those days.

Because the furloughs are unpaid, state workers will effectively be taking a 14 percent pay cut.

The fact that Republicans can block any budget plan advanced by the Democratic majority means that this fiscal emergency will likely be used by Schwarzenegger and the Republicans to extract those deep budget cuts previously rejected by Democrats without the prospect of new revenues.

These cuts include the virtual elimination of social, health, and educational programs that serve the state’s residents such as CalWORKS, Healthy Families, and In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS).

Click to read more ...

Schwarzenegger Threatens to Shut Down the State

Democrats in the California state assembly employed a series of legal maneuvers to push through a proposal to balance the state's $24 billion budget deficit without any Republican votes over the weekend.

The plan, which includes $11 billion worth of cuts and $10 billion worth of accounting maneuvers, is now in the state senate.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has threatened to veto the plan on principle, should it reach his desk, because it contains $2 billion worth of revenue solutions consisting of an oil severance tax and a tax on cigarettes, measures that Schwarzenegger himself had previously proposed.

If Schwarzenegger believes that it is possible to balance the state budget without these revenue solutions, as paltry as they are, then he just doesn't understand economics.

Should he actually follow through on his threat to veto the Democratic plan, blame for shutting down the state would rest squarely on his shoulders.

While Schwarzenegger has been prone to using threats, coercion, and other ham-fisted approaches to realize the vision of a state with no capacity to provide social or educational services to the citizens of California, it is unclear whether he actually has the courage to take the blame for shutting down the state.

With California just a few days away from having to issue IOUs to pay its bills, the only way to win this game of budget chicken and avert the prospect of California taking its place among the Third World, an outcome that corporatists like Schwarzenegger and the Republicans have been planning for decades, is for Democrats to concede nothing and place a budget on Schwarzenegger's desk that includes new revenues.

This will put Schwarzenegger into a position where he will either have to make good on his threats or look like a complete hypocrite. If past performance is any indication, he will find an excuse to sign it.

Republicans Reject Democrats' Budget Fix

The budget plan proposed by our allies in the state assembly and senate has failed to garner the two-thirds majority vote needed to pass the legislature.

All the Republicans in both chambers voted NO on the budget plan advanced by Democrats this past Wednesday, June 24.

Now, Arnold Schwarzenegger is proposing to cut child welfare and foster care services and end state contributions to state employee health plans.

This is on top of the devastating cuts he previously proposed including the elimination of CalWorks and Healthy Families.

Time is running out, and providers—especially those living in Republican districts—need to urge their legislators to support a budget proposal that invests in our future.

Please call and write your legislators:

• Tell them that you are a registered voter and don't want to see the budget balanced on the backs of our children and seniors.

• Tell them to end the $2.5 billion worth of wasteful tax breaks that have been given to big business.

• Tell them that polls show a majority of California voters support taxes on oil companies and alcohol and tobacco producers.

• Tell them that polls show a majority of voters oppose cuts to public services.

If you live in a Republican district, tell them:

• You are a registered voter and will vote them out of office, unless they vote YES on the Democrats' current budget proposal.

• Tell them to voteYES on the Democrats' current budget proposal when the vote is held again.

Click here to find the legislator in your district.

CCPUnited's parent organizations (AFSCME& SEIU) will also be conducting various protests and rallies throughout the state to pressure lawmakers to do the right thing.

If you are interested in participating in these upcoming events, call 1-866-336-9333 or 1-866-574-8907.

Click here for a list of upcoming events.

Remember to keep those cards, letters, and phone calls coming.

Raise Your Voice! Stand Up for California!

CCPUnited California legislative postcardThanks to the letters, postcards, phone calls, and protests held by providers and thousands of other activists around the state, we have managed to beat back some of the more terrifying proposals that were advanced to close the state budget deficit including the total elimination of the CalWORKS and Healthy Families programs.

Now, Democrats on the Assembly budget conference committee are offering a new budget plan, and we need this proposal to pass in order to eliminate the possibility that Schwarzenegger's devastating cuts will be revived.

CCPUnited California budget flierKeep those cards, letters, and phone calls coming.

There is no guarantee that this new proposal will pass the legislature, and even if it does, Schwarzenegger may still veto it, which means that we may be facing a new round of outrageous attacks on providers and on the families who rely on us.

That's why we need you to tell our legislators to vote FOR the Democrats' new budget plan as it now stands and to stand ready to turn our focus towards the governor once it passes.

Click here to find the legislator in your district.

Click here to find the contact information of Assembly Budget Committee members.

You can also read more about how CCPUnited would balance the state budget by clicking here.

California Legislature Passes Flawed State Budget

After more than four months of stalling, three state Republicans finally broke ranks with their obstructionist colleagues to help pass a new state budget this morning. Although the deal purports to close the state's projected $42 billion budget deficit through a combination of new revenue measures and spending cuts, voters will still be asked to approve a ballot measure this June authorizing the state to borrow an additional $5.4 billion against future lottery revenues to balance the budget.

Click to read more ...