California’s Republican legislators today unveiled a budget compromise that balances the state budget with no tax increases, and with no borrowing from local government or transportation funds. The proposal was unveiled earlier this afternoon by Senate Republicans, led by Senate Republican Leader Dave Cogdill who was joined by his colleagues. They were joined by Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines and also Roger Niello, the Vice-Chairman of the Assembly Budget Committee, in a strong statement of GOP bicameral support.
I have attached some documentation that was disseminated by Senate Republican Leader Dave Cogdill with some high-level detail on the plan. Gone is the Governor’s proposed increase in the state sales tax and fire fighting tax, but in place are strong long-term budget reforms to ensure that California government never again falls victim to overspending by politicians.
We here at the FlashReport want to praise Republican legislators for putting up this proposal, and putting an end to all of the naysayers who say that the only options to balance state books are higher taxes or borrowing.
Yesterday, when Senate Democrats introduced their version of a compromise budget, Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, according to the Sacramento Bee, praised their version as being “very courageous” and urged Republican Senators to vote for their plan (which includes billions of dollars in tax increases). We challenge Governor Schwarzenegger today to stand by his fellow Republicans, to embrace their plan as courageous. In fact, endorsing this plan should be a welcome opportunity for Schwarzenegger, who campaigned on a steadfast commitment to oppose tax increase
If the Governor does endorse the Republican budget plan, you can be sure we’ll let you know.
In the meantime, this plan certainly should help unify all of our Republican legislators going forward. This plan proves that our state’s books can balance without any tax increase at all, “temporary” or not. Republicans now have a plan around which to rally, and hold the line against growth in state government.
August 30th, 2008 at 12:00 am
Jon…
Had dinner with Grover Norquist on Thursday night in Minnesota, and I thanked him for his columns he wrote for the FlashReport along with his hardnosed no new tax stand and his enforcement of the No New Taxes Pledge. He asked me a few questions, but he was a little surprised in that his attitude was, “Well of course, we expect everyone who signed the ATR Pledge to keep their promise.” He was also irritated that the Governor promised not to raise taxes and now he has flip-flopped. What I got out of that conversation was that ATR and Grover are watching and plans to be engaged in fighting CA’s tax hike proposal.