Legislative Information Alert

Statement on the Proposed 2008-2009 California State Budget
PR Newswire

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Jan. 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Pam Brady, President of the California State PTA, issued the following statement in response to the Governor's budget proposal:

"The proposed California State budget flunks the basic test of good government: It hurts our children. A budget is a reflection of our community values. This budget does not value the education, health, or welfare of our children and the future of California.

"Members of the California State PTA are offended by the failure of the proposed budget to meet the needs of children. The Legislature and the Governor have a responsibility to support the children of California. Any mid-year cuts or suspension of Proposition 98, which provides minimum funding for our schools, is unacceptable.

"We don't move toward twenty-first century education by going backwards. It is ironic that the highly touted 'Year of Education' is starting out as the year they tried to take billions of dollars away from our children."

The California State PTA is a branch of the 110-year old National PTA, with over a million members statewide. The PTA is the nation's oldest, largest and highest-profile volunteer organization working on behalf of public schools, children and families, with the motto "Every child, one voice." PTA volunteers work in their schools and communities to improve the education, health and welfare of all California children and youth. The PTA also advocates at national, state and local levels for education and family issues. The PTA is non-profit, non-partisan, non-sectarian and non-commercial. For more information, go to http://www.capta.org/.

The delay in approving a state spending plan has been an exercise in frustration for both parties and the governor.

The Assembly passed a bipartisan budget bill on July 20, shortly before dawn after an all-night session, and then left for its monthlong vacation.

The Senate took up the bill the next day. When it failed to generate enough support, the Senate president locked members in the chamber overnight, a tactic that failed and may have served to chill negotiations over the ensuing weeks.

California is one of just three states - along with Arkansas and Rhode Island - that requires a two-thirds majority vote to pass its budget. That means it requires some support from minority Republicans. Until Tuesday, the Senate could muster only one of the two GOP votes it needed, leading to the prolonged stalemate.

Senate Minority Leader Dick Ackerman, R-Tustin, and Sen. Abel Maldonado, R-Santa Maria, finally provided the support needed to send the spending plan to Schwarzenegger.

At the heart of the Republicans' objections was a demand that the budget eliminate a $700 million deficit. When Schwarzenegger said he would do so by using his line-item veto power, Senate Republicans said they didn't believe him and added more demands.

The most contentions issue appeared to have little to do with the state budget.

It arose after Attorney General Jerry Brown, the state's former Democratic governor, threatened legal action against cities and counties that failed to compensate for increased greenhouse gas emissions caused by local growth and developments.

Republicans have said Brown's actions would stifle growth throughout California.

An agreement struck Tuesday in the Legislature would impose a moratorium on global warming-related lawsuits. That amendment, voted on separately, attempts to limit legal challenges against transportation and flood-control projects funded with bond money voters approved in November.