Legislative Information Alert

URGENT: STATE BUDGET ACTION ALERT

CALIFORNIA STATE PTA
Legislation Action Alert
September 15, 2008

CONTACT YOUR STATE SENATOR AND ASSEMBLY MEMBER IMMEDIATELY AND TELL THEM NOT TO PASS THE BUCK ANOTHER YEAR

Nearly three months after the constitutional deadline to pass a state budget, legislative leaders met over the weekend and announced they now have a deal they expect to bring up for a vote in both the senate and assembly as early as today. This timing would allow no real chance for the public to analyze the details of the proposed plan. After so much delay, suddenly they are in a hurry. But a budget that does not truly address the needs of our state's most important constituents -- our children -- is worse than a delayed budget.

California State PTA's message all along to the legislature and governor has been: Take a balanced approach to solving the state's deficit in order to prevent deep cuts to education and children's services. We oppose any borrowing or gimmicks that simply pass the deficit buck on for another year. We also believe some type of permanent, ongoing revenues are essential to this balanced approach.

We need a realistic opportunity to see how well this latest proposal addresses these concerns.

PLEASE CALL YOUR LEGISLATORS IMMEDIATELY.

Urge them to do the following:

• Give the public reasonable time to study what is in this latest budget proposal before you cast a vote.
• Don't pass the buck for another year by giving in to any short-term solution that won't meet the needs of our children.
• Support a budget that prevents deeper cuts to schools and children's services by providing additional, ongoing revenues, and does not rely on borrowing or gimmicks.

To find your legislators’ contact information, please go to http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html