Here is an exclusive commentary from State Senator Roy Ashburn for FR readers…
Senate Republicans – Standing United
Last week fifteen Republican State Senators faced down a political freight train and brought it to a grinding halt. By remaining united just fifteen of the one hundred and twenty California Legislators were able to draw a line in the sand and say “No” to an irresponsible State budget. To compare our ordeal to that of the 300 Spartans at Thermopylae might be a bit of a stretch, but there have been times this week when it certainly felt like it.
The idea of fiscal restraint unfortunately is anathema to the culture in our State Capitol that dictates government must always grow larger and spending must always increase. The odds are stacked against us. However thanks to the constitutional requirement of a 2/3 budget vote in both houses of the legislature, the concerns of the Californians we represent as a united Senate Republican Caucus will still be heard as State Government seeks to collect and spend their hard earned money.
With only fifteen Republicans out of forty Senators, all that is necessary for our fiscal restraint efforts to come crashing down is for two of our ranks to defect. Some of the most disastrous budget deals of recent memory came about as a result of one or two Republicans breaking ranks. The perks and pork that were dished up to gain their votes are distant memories and their names are almost forgotten. But the fiscal damage of debt heaped on future generations remains in place. It is that debt from irresponsible budgets of the past five to ten years that we wrestle with every day.
Senate Republicans want to see a budget where the State of California spends no more money than it receives this year. The Democrats proposed a 3 to 4 percent growth in bureaucracy this year. If growth were instead limited to one or two percent, the budget would balance this year. It’s that simple. No draconian cuts are necessary, and the fear mongering by the vested interests is disingenuous and counter productive.
In the face of all the editorial charges of grandstanding one might conclude that our budget priorities are extreme or unreasonable. In the end however, it all comes down to one issue. California is swimming in red ink and has been since Gray Davis was tossed out of office. Together we represent over 13 million Californians, and every one of us in campaigning for office pledged to work for fiscal responsibility in Sacramento.
Though we are few in number, by remaining unified we are able to be a voice for restraint and simple common sense in state spending. Like the Spartans of long ago, we make no apologies for our principled stand against long odds.