The Democrat secret plan to solve the budget crisis has finally been revealed.
Yesterday, Senate Democrat Leader Don Perata spoke plainly when he was asked how they proposed to to make up the deficit when he said, "Raise taxes. That clear enough? Raise taxes."
What a shocker….. the Democrats want to raise our taxes – I just can’t believe it.
Senator Perata also promised to hold us here all summer apparently until the Republican resolve not to raise taxes is broken. And I’m sure he means it. Remember our Senate sleep-over last year? (no worries – – we eventually were set free).
If last year’s Democrat rage at the Senate Republicans refusing to vote for a budget until spending was reduced by just $750 million is any indicator of what we’re in store for this year, I’m going to start wearing body armor to work.
Last year, when we kept saying over and over that we needed to reduce spending and that that budget’s out of control spending was going to bankrupt our state, our Democrat colleagues called us "whackos", "terrorists", "right-wing extremists", "hostage takers", and other lovely things. All of that was over a spending reduction of a measly $750 million.
Imagine all the nice things they will call us this year after we refuse to raise taxes.
Last year we were right. Despite all the overheated Democrat rhetoric about how awful everything would be if we showed just a little spending restraint – it turned out not cutting back last year has led us into a budget disaster this year.
Cutting state spending is the answer. Raising taxes will not work – especially if we don’t solve our structural deficit right away.
Republicans will hold strong – the Democrats will "politely" disagree – and we’ll see what happens.
It’s going to be a long hot summer. I hope it doesn’t turn out to be a taxing one.
March 5th, 2008 at 12:00 am
And your plan is …
Oh, that’s right, you don’t have one.
Lay it on us: tell us just how much you want to cut from our schools.
March 5th, 2008 at 12:00 am
Steve! My budget discussion buddy – glad to hear from you! :-)
Hey, I didn’t even mention your boss’ name once — what’s the deal with the comment? You multi-tasking for the Senate Dems now? (they’d be well served if you were btw).
It’s time to get serious about cutting spending – and we’ll be happy to lay out what needs to be reduced as we go along. Republicans want to be active partners with our Democrat colleagues every step of the way.
But, you may recall, last year when Senator Perata laid on us the very same “show us your plan” challenge – and we came up with a comprehensive list of cuts – he wouldn’t even allow it to be brought up for discussion or vote.
Now, what’s the deal with that?
Steve, now that we’ve started our comment dual in March (months before we did last year), let’s hope our parties and our houses can work together to rescue us from this budget crisis.
Your pal,
JIM
March 5th, 2008 at 12:00 am
I’d like to see a post from the Speaker’s staff to explain how they have been able to justify spending at a higher rate than revenue. Have they ever heard about putting money away for a “rainy day” like us normal people do?
I’d like to see the Speaker and his staff get rid of all their government perks to make a token effort to control the problem in sacramento. I like to dream, as you can see.
Tell you what, let’s cut spending to a level a bit below revenue and keep it that way for a few years. Let’s see some fiscal control and restriant before we even think about raising taxes. I’d like to see some evidence that our elected friends can really control spending. Boy, I can really dream, but it’s always the same nightmare of Sacramento that I wake up too.
March 6th, 2008 at 12:00 am
Riddle me this, why does K-12 need more money if we have fewer students now than we did 5 years ago?
March 7th, 2008 at 12:00 am
Senator Battin:
Appreciate the “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours” argument. As memory serves me, your leadership last year refused to release its secret plan to balance the budget last year to voters.
So why not put it out there to the teachers that are getting pink slips this weekend — how much education spending do you want to slash? Which state parks in your districts do you want to close?
And to Roger: there is a rainy day fund in Prop 58. And if you need some evidence of fiscal control, look at the billions Democrats just slashed from the state budget.