Emken Supports Sequestration Transparency Act

Republican U.S. Senate candidate calls on Feinstein to join House approval to require details of impact of automatic cuts to defense and other spending

(ORANGE COUNTY, CA) - Republican U.S. Senate candidate Elizabeth Emken today released the following statement on the House passage of H.R. 5872, The Sequestration Transparency Act of 2012:

“Massive cuts to our national defense are due to kick in right after the November election, and Californians deserve to know how much damage these ill-advised cuts will do to California’s economy. We’re proud of the contributions Californians are making every day to our national defense, including our men and women in uniform, and the workers at California defense contractors who provide equipment and support to our troops in the field,” said Emken.

“Senators campaigning for re-election like to cite the vast influence they have over all things Washington. Dianne Feinstein can start by supporting HR 5872 to require the President to detail the impact these cuts will have on our economy as well as our national security.”

Statement by Assemblymember Olsen on the Budget

SACRAMENTO - Assemblymember and Chief Republican Whip Kristin Olsen, R- Modesto, today issued the following statement on the California budget:

"The Democrats are calling this an austere budget, but it actually increases spending by 7% - over $5 Billion higher than last year.  Why would Californians vote to increase taxes, when the "austere" budget increases spending?  People in other states - and in our own communities - are utterly dismayed by the decisions made in California and by the majority party's upside-down priorities.  To become the envy of the nation again, we need leadership, we need long-term planning, and we need responsible state budgets that Californians deserve. Today's budget provides none of that.

In fact, the budget completely ignores the reforms desperately needed to get California back on track. As Californians, we long to be the Golden State again where families, businesses, and schools can thrive.  And we can get there again if we get serious about reforming public pensions, attracting jobs, investing in education, and stopping the Legislature's irresponsible spending practices.  Unfortunately, this budget leads us in the opposite direction."

Fact Check: If Education Were a Legislative Priority, Would Trigger Cuts Be Necessary?

A central feature of the Governor's budget is $5.5 billion in K-14 education trigger cuts and $500 million in higher education trigger cuts, which represents 99% of all of the trigger cuts.  $2.7 billion of those K-14 cuts would be true programmatic cuts.  The cuts would kick in mid-year, which is forcing many districts to cut budgets this summer to avoid a mid-year meltdown.  Since the Governor's budget predicts that revenues will grow $4.9 billion next year without his proposed tax increase, the question remains, if the Legislature made education a priority, could trigger cuts be avoided?

Findings:

·         The Governor increased the trigger cuts targeting education to $6 billion.  Education would take 99% of the cuts even though schools only receive 50% of funding.

·         The Legislative Analyst offered an alternative to the Governor's trigger cut which would reduce the K-14 programmatic cut from $2.7 billion to $1 billion.[i]

·         The Republican "Budget Roadmap to Protect Classrooms and Taxpayers" identified more than $4.4 billion in alternative savings that could be used to avoid education trigger cuts.  The Governor's May Revision used approximately $2 billion of those solutions to avoid cuts to health and welfare programs, while at the same time increasing the proposed trigger cut to education.  The Legislature could reject the Governor's proposal to divert savings to non-education programs and redirect savings to schools to eliminate or dramatically reduce the Governor's proposed education trigger cuts.

Read more.

Source: Assemblywoman Kristin Olsen

CRP Chairman Del Beccaro's Response to the LAO's 2012-13 Budget Review

SACRAMENTO — California Republican Party Chairman Tom Del Beccaro today issued the following statement in response to the Legislative Analysts’ Office Review of the Governor’s Proposed 2012-2013 Budget:

 

"We have a revenue problem now because we have narrowed our tax base. Brown's plan will only make that worse. It's time to turn the page on yesterday's uncompetitive policies."

CRP Chairman Del Beccaro's Comments on Gov. Brown's Budget Proposal

SACRAMENTO — California Republican Party Chairman Tom Del Beccaro today issued the following statement in response to Governor Brown’s budget proposal:

 

"In just a year’s time, Governor Brown has gone from 'checking in with the voters' to holding them hostage with supposedly devastating trigger cuts that mask his inability to make tough, reform-minded decisions. Brown is doubling down on the same ineffective strategies that pushed California into this mess. Californians have no reason to believe his budget is sincere; it lacks innovation as well as any meaningful structural reforms.

 

"This cynical, scare tactic budget strategy once again hinges on the hope that voters will ignore their own financial problems to bail out the Democrats with another ill-advised tax increase. It didn't work last year and there's no reason to believe that a new year will bring new results."

Governor Directs Administration to Cut Costs, Increase Efficiency Using Honest, Common-Sense Budgeting Methods

SACRAMENTO – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today issued an Executive Order directing the California Department of Finance (DOF) to incorporate common sense program-evaluation methods into the budgeting process, in order to fund programs based on their necessity and effectiveness. The Order’s goal is to cut costs and increase efficiency in this and future year state budgets.

 

The program-evaluation methods directed in the Executive Order include zero-based budgeting, performance measures, strategic planning, audits, cost-benefit analyses and program reviews.

 

The administration is already using program-evaluation budget methods to cut costs and excess. Yesterday, the Department of Mental Health (DMH) announced its plan to establish the Department of State Hospitals (DSH) along with reforms to its structure. These changes are the result of Governor Brown’s 2011 May Revision, which directed streamlining and efficiency measures at DMH to enhance patient care and overall safety.

 

“We examined spending at the Department of Mental Health and used zero-based budgeting to lower costs while maintaining appropriate treatments and enhancing safety,” said Department of Finance Director Ana Matosantos. “As a result, DMH will achieve total General Fund savings in the current budget year of about $120 million and about $183 million in the 2012-2013 budget year.”

 

Under today’s Executive Order, DOF must present a plan within 90 days to modify the budget process to incorporate program-evaluation methods.

 

 The Governor committed to issuing this Executive Order in his October 9, 2011 veto message of Senate Bill 14 (Wolk).

 

The full text of the Executive Order is below:

 

EXECUTIVE ORDER B-13-11

 

WHEREAS substantial steps have been taken to reduce California’s fiscal deficit, but additional measures are necessary both to cut state spending and improve operational efficiency; and

 

WHEREAS the State’s budgeting method focuses on incremental changes to the prior year’s funding, rather than a deeper review of a department or program; and

 

WHEREAS California needs a better approach to its budgeting; and

 

WHEREAS there are many methods, including zero-based budgeting, performance measures, strategic planning, audits, cost-benefit analyses, and program reviews, that can assist in increasing effectiveness and achieving a balanced budget; and

 

WHEREAS many departments have effective methods to evaluate and improve programs, yet these successes are often not shared with the public or other departments; and

 

WHEREAS employing these methods requires close collaboration with the Legislature to establish mutual agreement on establishing program goals and how to measure performance.

 

 NOW, THEREFORE, I, EDMUND G. BROWN JR., Governor of the State of California, issue this Order to become effective immediately:

 

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the Director of Finance shall create a plan for modifying the budget process to increase efficiency and focus on accomplishing program goals. The plan should be developed in collaboration with agency secretaries and department directors and submitted to the Governor’s Office within 90 days of this Order.

 

It should outline the following:

 

 1. A strategy to incorporate program-evaluation methods into the budget process for selected activities and programs. These methods include zero-based budgeting, performance measures, strategic planning, audits, cost-benefit analyses, and program reviews.

2. Ways to ensure transparency about program goals, outcomes, and funding.

3. A process for collaborating with the Legislature, particularly in establishing program goals and measuring program outcomes.

4. A structure to work with local governments to develop methods to measure and evaluate performance of state-funded, locally-administered programs.

5. An implementation timeline beginning with the release of the 2012–13 Governor’s Budget.

 

This Executive Order is not intended to create, and does not create, any rights or benefits, whether substantive or procedural, or enforceable at law or in equity, against the State of California or its agencies, departments, entities, officers, employees, or any other person.

 

I FURTHER DIRECT that as soon as hereafter possible, this Order shall be filed with the Office of the Secretary of State and that it be given widespread publicity and notice.

 

 IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this 7th day of December, 2011.

 

EDMUND G. BROWN JR.

 Governor of California

 

ATTEST:

 

DEBRA BOWEN

Secretary of State

An Open Letter to the People of California

SACRAMENTO – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today issued the following open letter to the people of California:

 

December 5, 2011

 

When I became Governor again—28 years after my last term ended in 1983—California was facing a $26.6 billion budget deficit. It was the result of years of failing to match spending with tax revenues as budget gimmicks instead of honest budgeting became the norm.

 

In January, I proposed a budget that combined deep cuts with a temporary extension of some existing taxes. It was a balanced approach that would have finally closed our budget gap.

 

I asked the legislature to enact this plan and to allow you, the people of California, to vote on it. I believed that you had the right to weigh in on this important choice: should we decently fund our schools or lower our taxes? I don’t know how you would have voted, but we will never know. The Republicans refused to provide the four votes needed to put this measure on the ballot.

 

 Forced to act alone, Democrats went ahead and enacted massive cuts and the first honest, on-time budget in a decade. But without the tax extensions, it was simply not possible to eliminate the state’s structural deficit.

 

The good news is that our financial condition is much better than a year ago. We cut the ongoing budget deficit by more than half, reduced the state’s workforce by about 5,500 positions and cut unnecessary expenses like cell phones and state cars. We actually cut state expenses by over $10 billion. Spending is now at levels not seen since the seventies. Our state’s credit rating has moved from “negative” to “stable,” laying the foundation for job creation and a stronger economic recovery.

 

 Unfortunately, the deep cuts we made came at a huge cost. Schools have been hurt and state funding for our universities has been reduced by 25%. Support for the elderly and the disabled has fallen to where it was in 1983. Our courts suffered debilitating reductions.

 

The stark truth is that without new tax revenues, we will have no other choice but to make deeper and more damaging cuts to schools, universities, public safety and our courts.

 

That is why I am filing today an initiative with the Attorney General’s office that would generate nearly $7 billion in dedicated funding to protect education and public safety. I am going directly to the voters because I don’t want to get bogged down in partisan gridlock as happened this year. The stakes are too high.

 

 My proposal is straightforward and fair. It proposes a temporary tax increase on the wealthy, a modest and temporary increase in the sales tax, and guarantees that the new revenues be spent only on education. Here are the details:

 

• Millionaires and high-income earners will pay up to 2% higher income taxes for five years. No family making less than $500,000 a year will see their income taxes rise. In fact, fewer than 2% of California taxpayers will be affected by this increase.

• There will be a temporary ½ cent increase in the sales tax. Even with this temporary increase, sales taxes will still be lower than what they were less than six months ago.

• This initiative dedicates funding only to education and public safety—not on other programs that we simply cannot afford.

 

This initiative will not solve all of our fiscal problems. But it will stop further cuts to education and public safety.

 

I ask you to join with me to get our state back on track.

A PDF version of the letter can be found here.

 

Jerry Brown