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

It's The Vision Thing, Jerry Brown

By Thomas Del Beccaro, CRP Chairman (as seen in Flash Report)
 

Nearly a year after his election, Jerry Brown’s second try at Governor is just about as inspiring as a 2 AM rerun. Simply stated, his governorship lacks a vision. Brown has not challenged Californians to achieve anything nor has he empowered them to succeed on their own. Brown's sole purpose appears to be nothing more than to demand that Californians bail out Sacramento. The years to come are likely to be no different.

 

There are political leaders that set a clear agenda, challenge their constituents to reach new heights and then empower them to succeed. On the other hand, there are managers of government that lack a vision and seek only minor adjustments to the status quo. Surely, Jerry Brown is among the latter.

 

At the time he took office, California suffered among the nation's worst unemployment and Californians had lost over 1/4th of the nation’s home equity. Central Valley farming remains in a depression and inter-city schools are among the nation's worst.

 

In response, Brown has declared no over-arching goals let alone help Californians to take command of their future. Brown remains Sacramento-centric. His only focus appears to be the state budget and his only response is more laws.

 

There is no grand plan, urgent or otherwise, to restore jobs in this state. For instance, despite a full legislative session, Brown offers… (Read more)

Source: CA GOP

CRP Chairman's Statement: CARB Decision Bad for California's Future

SACRAMENTO – California Republican Party Chairman Tom Del Beccaro issued the following statement tonight in response to the decision by the California Air Resources Board to approve a controversial cap-and-trade system:

 

"With this step, the California government has ensured high unemployment, low revenues and resultant deficits for years to come. At some point, with our jobless rate mired at 12 percent, Jerry Brown should consider actually helping the unemployed, not ensuring their despair."

Source: CA GOP

Governor Brown Opens New Dell Facility, Welcomes Hundreds of New Jobs to California

SANTA CLARA – In a move that will bring hundreds of new jobs to California, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today joined Dell Chairman and CEO Michael Dell to open the company’s newest research and development center in Santa Clara.

 

“California is the world capital of innovation and technology, so it’s only natural that Dell has chosen Santa Clara as the home for its newest Research and Development facility,” Brown said. “This new facility will create hundreds of cutting-edge technology jobs at a time when we need them most. Dell has made a sound investment by expanding in California, and I look forward to further expansions of Dell’s presence here in the Golden State.”

 

 The Dell Silicon Valley Research and Development Center will occupy approximately 240,000 square feet of space in two buildings and eventually house approximately 700 team members. The first phase of occupancy is underway and will continue through next year. Including those housed at the new campus in Santa Clara, Dell expects to have more than 1,500 employees in Silicon Valley by the end of next year.

 

 “We are making significant and thoughtful investments to develop and acquire industry-leading intellectual property,” Dell said. “Silicon Valley is a center of technological innovation and we are looking to recruit from the great talent pool here for high-level jobs in network design, storage development, cloud computing and software development. The new positions we add here are part of more than 1,500 jobs we’re creating in the U.S. this year to help expand our technology solutions portfolio.”

Weekly Update from Rep. Denham

Dear Friend,

 

This district work week was very busy but extremely informative and helpful for me. I heard from many of you at various events, roundtables and meetings throughout the district. Today, I was able to speak at the Natural Resources Summit in Sonora.  Congratulations to my friend Assemblywoman Olsen for throwing such a great event for us to discuss ways to responsibly manage California's natural resources. Here in the Valley, water is a great example of a natural resource that we can utilize to create jobs, while also ensuring a consistent and reliable water supply to the Valley. 

 

Unfortunately, our efforts to create jobs are continually blocked by bureaucracies and government regulations. In April, I introduced H.R. 1604 to streamline environmental regulations for Bureau of Reclamation water projects and eliminate regulations that even Governor Brown has said are bogging down job creation. 

 

Costly lawsuit abuse and onerous regulations are also standing in the way of business growth in our community.  With double-digit unemployment in our area, I know how important it is to get people working again.  As we all know, our country's economic recovery is going to start here in our local communities. This week, I hosted small business roundtables in Modesto and Fresno and visited with the Greater Fresno Area Chamber of Commerce to hear first-hand the ideas and concerns of our local job creators. Assemblywoman Kristin Olsen and Assemblywoman Linda Halderman were able to join me at the business roundtables to provide their insight from the state level. America's economic recovery begins with our local communities, and I look forward to continuing the discussion on how to reduce these regulations and get our friends and neighbors back to work. 

 

Earlier this week, I announced my participation in the latest YouTube Town Hall. I discussed the concerns I have heard from many of you and the actions I have taken in Congress to increase confidence in our local job creators and their businesses.  I encourage you to watch my video, and let me know what you think on my facebook page.  You can also submit your own questions to YouTube for Congress to answer and vote for the answer that you agree with. 

 

Across the country there are too many men and women returning home from serving our country that cannot find a job or afford a home. I visited with many of these veterans at WestCare's Home Front facility on Wednesday.  Home Front is a residential program designed specifically for homeless female military veterans and their children. As a member of the Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Health, I have been working hard in Washington to improve the quality of care that veterans are receiving and to make sure they are aware of the care available to them. I was humbled to hear their stories and was very proud that WestCare is helping so many men and women in our area. 

 

In addition to taking care of our veterans, I also want to ensure that men and women interested in serving our country have the information they need to attend our country's Military Academies.   Earlier this week, I hosted Academy Information Nights in Modesto and Fresno, where representatives from the Military Academies made short presentations, answered questions and served as a great resource for prospective attendees.   It was very inspiring to meet many of these young men and women, discuss my service in the Air Force, and hear about their desire to serve. 

 

This week, the House adopted a short-term Continuing Resolution by voice vote. This will fund the government until we vote next Tuesday to provide much-needed disaster assistance and fund the government through November 18th. During votes and my committee hearings in Washington, I will remember the concerns and ideas you shared with me this week and will be sure to keep you updated on recent developments. 

 

I want to thank all of my followers on facebook and twitter.  Both forums provide a great way to stay up-to-date with my activity and learn about upcoming events and votes. I also encourage you to tell your friends and family members to sign up for this weekly re-cap, as well as participate in the YouTube Town Hall and help me spread my message about reducing regulations to create jobs.

 

Have a great weekend!

Sincerely,

JEFF DENHAM

United States Representative

Governor Brown Signs Legislation to Streamline Environmental Review and Fast-Track Job Creation

LOS ANGELES – Taking action to fast-track the creation of thousands of jobs, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today signed legislation to streamline environmental review for key construction projects. The two bills, signed during a ceremony at the proposed site of the Farmers Field stadium, are expected to drive hundreds of millions in economic investment while ensuring all projects meet California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) criteria.

“It’s time for big thinking and big projects that put Californians back to work,” said Governor Brown. “Projects like Farmers Field can create thousands of jobs during a tough economic time, so it is imperative for the state to cut the red tape that could delay projects like this for years. These bills strike the right balance between protecting our environment and kick-starting jobs and investment in California.”

Governor Brown signed the Jobs and Economic Improvement Through Environmental Leadership Act of 2011, AB 900, during a ceremony at the Los Angeles Convention Center, at the proposed site of the Farmers Field stadium. The bill, authored by Assemblymember Joan Buchanan (D-San Ramon) and Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento), establishes an expedited regulatory review for projects designated by the Governor as “leadership projects.”

Under AB 900, these projects are not exempt from CEQA, but will go through a fast-track judicial review process in California’s Court of Appeal.

The Governor also signed SB 292 by Senator Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima), which designates the Farmers Field NFL football stadium as a leadership project subject to a streamlined review that mirrors AB 900. It enacts a strict set of criteria for the stadium’s construction, requires the project to be carbon neutral, mitigates impacts on traffic and air quality, and establishes a less onerous review process. The only review timeframe reduced by SB 292 impacts the City of Los Angeles and the developer, who will now have 5 days—rather than 30—to reply to project challengers, who retain the timeframes already laid out by CEQA.

“I’m pleased the Governor has signed the legislation to move the Farmers Field and Convention Center Project forward in a way consistent with California’s environmental laws,” said Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez (D-Los Angeles). “This project will create 23,000 jobs for our economy while building the most environmentally advanced stadium in the United States. This stadium will be a source of pride for every Californian.”

“There is no more important priority than creating jobs for Californians and growing our economy,” said Senator Steinberg. “These bills will create tens of thousands of new jobs for hardworking people in Los Angeles and throughout our state, while also respecting the quality of life and environment California is famous for around the world.”

Construction of the 68,000 seat stadium is expected to generate more than 10,000 jobs, bringing in an estimated $40 million a year to the city, county and state. AEG’s design for Farmers Field would make it “the most environmentally friendly stadium in the nation,” a LEED-certified facility with a net zero carbon footprint.

CRP Chairman's Statement Regarding California's Dismal Unemployment Numbers

SACRAMENTO, CA – CRP Chairman Tom Del Beccaro today issued the following statement in regards to today's release of California's unemployment numbers for August rising to 12.1%:

"Almost ten months into Jerry Brown's administration and Californians still don't know what his jobs plan really is, other than reaching into their pockets for new tax money. Republicans know what job creators need to start hiring again and when Jerry finally gets serious, we'll be there, ready to work with him on real solutions."

Source: CA GOP

Governor Brown Calls for Pacific Rim Leaders to Wage War on Unemployment

SAN FRANCISCO – Speaking at the largest diplomatic gathering in California in more than 65 years, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today urged political and business leaders to wage a "war on unemployment" by combating global warming and preparing for climate change.

“Everyone seems to have forgotten about climate change, but climate change has not forgotten about us,” Brown told the 23rd annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) conference in San Francisco. “The crisis gets closer, but many officials in Washington and along the Pacific Rim act as though they can shush it away with silence and diplomatic delay. That won’t work. We have to stop our relentless addiction to fossil fuel and get serious about renewable energy.”

Brown addressed the APEC Transportation & Energy Ministerial Conference, a gathering of hundreds of public and private-sector delegates and cabinet-level and ambassadorial officials from along the Pacific Rim. This year’s conference marks the largest set of diplomatic meetings held in California since the United Nations convened in San Francisco in 1945.

“We have an immediate world-wide economic crisis that has thrown millions of people out of work,” Brown said. “And we are facing another longer-term crisis of global warming that will threaten our food supply and drinking water in much of the world, including here in California. It makes sense to now wage a war on unemployment by making the investments needed to curb global warming and get our communities ready for the effects of climate change. This vital work will create millions of new jobs. Just as President Roosevelt put people to work during the Great Depression building dams, roads, schools and other public facilities, we can now put millions of people to work preparing our communities for the effects of climate change and building renewable energy projects.”

The APEC conference brings together private sector experts and public sector officials to promote economic growth through trade expansion and regional investment. Key challenges addressed at the conference include:

• Shifting from petroleum-based fuels to biofuels and electric vehicles;

• Improving systems and technologies to increase the speed at which goods move among production zones, transportation hubs and markets; and

• Eliminating economic barriers for businesses and exporters such as lack of financing, difficulty identifying foreign business opportunities, and rising transportation costs.

As the effects of climate change continue to worsen, meeting these challenges is more important than ever before, Brown explained. Extreme heat in 2010 brought the worst drought in 100 years to the Hunan province in China, killing crops and causing massive swarms of locusts. 2011 was the hottest summer in the United States in 75 years. In July, Arctic sea ice was at the lowest level ever recorded, while Pakistan experienced unprecedented monsoons.

“Although it is not possible to link any of these individual events to climate change, scientists warn us that these are the kind of effects that increased fossil fuel consumption will eventually bring about,” Brown said.

In California, Governor Brown has pressed for increasing investment in renewable energy, efficiency and reduced dependency on fossil fuels. In April, he signed legislation to increase California’s use of renewable energy to 33 percent by 2020.

“This will bring economic advantages to California as the state develops new sources of clean power, creates new jobs, improves air quality and increases energy security,” he explained.

CRP Statement in Response to President Obama's Job Speech

SACRAMENTO, CA – CRP Chairman Tom Del Beccaro issued the following statement in response President Barack Obama's jobs speech:

"If the President were serious about putting ‘country before politics,’ he would've spent the past few months on real solutions to America's unemployment problem, not campaign trips and vacations. Instead, Obama is offering warmed-over programs that do nothing but remind us that he's out of touch and out of ideas. It's obvious that we need a President who will provide more incentives to people, not more funding for government."

Source: CA GOP

Governor Brown Issues Statement On Senate's Failure to Pass California Jobs First Plan

SACRAMENTO—Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today issued the following statement after the California State Senate failed to pass the California Jobs First Plan.

"It's unbelievable that so many politicians in Sacramento would choose to protect cigarette makers and out-of-state corporations to the detriment of California jobs."

They Said It! August 30th Flashback

Obama Wasn't Kidding When He Said One Year Ago That He'd Talk About An Economic Plan “In The Days And Weeks To Come”

President Obama: "And that's why my administration remains focused every single day on pushing this economy forward, repairing the damage that's been done to the middle class over the past decade and promoting the growth we need to get our people back to work. So, as Congress prepares to return to session, my economic team is hard at work in identifying additional measures that could make a difference in both promoting growth and hiring in the short term and increasing our economy's competitiveness in the long term; steps like extending the tax cuts for the middle class, that are set to expire this year, redoubling our investment in clean energy and R&D, rebuilding more of our infrastructure for the future, further tax cuts to encourage businesses to put their capital to work creating jobs here in the United States. And I'll be addressing these proposals in further detail in the days and weeks to come." (President Barack Obama, Remarks About Having A Plan, Washington, D.C., 8/30/10)

Source: California Republican Party

Governor Brown Proposes California Jobs First Package to Spur Local Job Creation

SACRAMENTO – Taking action to put Californians to work, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today proposed a three-part California Jobs First plan that offers over $1 billion a year in tax relief for businesses that create jobs in the state.

“Boosting job growth in California is a top priority, and this proposal is a critical step in making sure the state does everything it can to support local job creation,” said Brown. “Our state has added 116,000 jobs since January, but we must do more to build economic momentum. This legislation would expand a currently existing job credit to make it more effective while adding new tax incentives for growth in the manufacturing sector.”

The first part of the California Jobs First plan reforms and expands an underutilized tax credit for small businesses worth hundreds of millions of dollars. To date, much of this funding has been left on the table because too many small businesses were excluded from the credit. The Governor’s plan expands eligibility to small businesses with up to 50 employees (up from 20) and the credit for each new hire will jump from $3,000 to $4,000. These changes will encourage small businesses to hire immediately, as the credit will expire at the end of 2013.

The second part of the California Jobs First plan will give California’s economy an immediate shot in the arm by providing over $1 billion in tax relief to businesses that purchase new manufacturing equipment. The plan exempts start-ups in their first three years from the state portion of sales tax (3.9375 percent)—and provides an exemption of 3 percent for all other firms— on manufacturing equipment purchases. The exemptions will drive innovation, investment and growth by targeting many of California’s most dynamic industries, including manufacturing, biopharmaceuticals, clean energy and software.

The backbone of the California Jobs First plan is the application of the Mandatory Single Sales Factor (SSF) to all businesses in California. This change levels the playing field by eliminating what Governor Brown called “an outrageous and perverse tax incentive that encourages multi-state businesses to create jobs outside of the state.” This places California-based businesses at a competitive disadvantage and is a disincentive for out-of-state businesses to locate jobs here.

The revenues produced by closing this loophole will fund the expansion of the small business tax credits for new hires and the sales tax exemption for manufacturing equipment.

“Job creation is essential to our economic recovery and future budget stability,” said Senate Pro-Tem Darrell Steinberg. “Our tax laws should reflect that reality, rather than provide incentives for companies to increase their profits within California by investing and creating jobs outside of California.”

“Democrats in the Legislature fought hard all Spring and Summer to enact the Governor’s budget proposals to close the Single Sales Factor loophole and to generate in-state jobs – but the efforts fell short when no Republicans would step forward to support a compromise that would help California businesses,” said Speaker John A. Pérez. “It’s time to enact this common-sense plan that puts California’s economy and our jobs ahead of out-of-state tax loopholes.”

Governor Brown’s proposal drew immediate praise from California job creators.

“As a company with several major manufacturing sites in this state, Boeing applauds the governor’s initiative to support manufacturing in California,” said Jeff Sweet, Director of California Government Relations for the Boeing Company. “He understands the need for consistency and certainty to spur investment and job growth, and is seeking solutions that will help accomplish that goal.”

"The package proposed by the Governor will make California more competitive with other states and provide a foundation upon which we can rebuild California's job base,” said Joe Panetta, President and CEO, BIOCOM, “Governor Brown is to be commended for putting the strength of his office into these efforts.”

In addition to the California Jobs First plan, the Governor has taken other actions to help put Californians to work. He spent the first seven months of the year working hard to deliver an honest, on-time balanced budget that stabilized the state’s finances and provided certainty to business leaders. Rating agencies shifted California’s status from “negative” to “stable” as a result. Last week, the Governor appointed Michael E. Rossi as the Senior Advisor for Jobs and Business Development in his office. This follows the plan the Governor introduced last year to create hundreds of thousands of jobs by 2020.

Governor Brown Takes Action to Drive Job Growth in California

SACRAMENTO – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. will join legislative, business and labor leaders tomorrow to announce a proposal to drive job growth in California.

When: Tomorrow, Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 11:00 a.m.

Where: Governor's Press Conference Room, Room 1190, California State Capitol, Sacramento, CA 95814

**NOTE: This event is open to credentialed media only and will be webcast on the Governor’s website: www.gov.ca.gov.

They Said It! Democrat Senate President Proclaims Ownership of California's Unemployment Crisis!

As California’s double-digit unemployment continues, Democrat Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg told capitol reporters during a press briefing last Monday that Democrats will focus on job creation on their own, without input from Republicans:

"We intend on our own, as the majority party, to do all that we can, to put people back to work." [AUDIO]

But as quickly as Steinberg announced Democrats are now assuming full responsibility for job creation in California, he also made it clear not to expect much in the way of results:

"I don’t want to oversell though in the sense that um, you see how the national government is struggling to figure out to impact the unemployment numbers. California on its own, and certainly not in three and a half weeks, and certainly not with, you know, a series of bills, is going to turn that around overnight, but we have to do our part." [AUDIO]

More than two million Californians have lost their jobs in the past three years. Steinberg says that after six months of failed efforts to raise taxes, Democrats will now generously devote the remaining three weeks of the legislative session to job creation.

"These are three and a half very important weeks, and they’re weeks where our focus must be on doing everything we can to help the economy and put people back to work." [AUDIO]

A mere seven weeks after Democrat lawmakers passed their state budget plan, signed into law by Democrat Governor Jerry Brown, it’s collapsing under the weight of its rosy economic assumptions. According to State Controller John Chiang, the state took in about $4.7 billion in tax revenues in July, $538.8 million below 2011 budget projections.

Yet Steinberg still claims his flawed plan will be the key to California’s economic recovery:

"While balancing the budget is probably the most important thing we can do to maintain, you know, to instill confidence, that we also have a lot of legislative tools here to put people back to work." [AUDIO]

While Democrats were busy trying to raise taxes, Republicans were working to create jobs. But our common sense Republican-authored job creation bills for curbing frivolous lawsuits, increasing worker flexibility, analyzing regulatory impacts, and more were routinely killed in Democrat-dominated committees.

"How do we, in a responsible way, provide an economic impact analysis, that is standard, that is standardized across state agencies, whenever a new regulation is put forward?" [AUDIO]

And, even while Steinberg says Democrats will be focusing on job creation, at the same time they’ll be considering 13 more pieces of Democrat-authored legislation the California Chamber of Commerce has declared to be Job Killer bills. Cal Chamber’s 2011 Job Killers List.

Link to the full video of Monday’s press briefing: on.cagop.org/pYsNNg

CRP Statement on California's July Unemployment Report

SACRAMENTO, CA – California Republican Party Chairman Tom Del Beccaro issued the following statement in regards to California's unemployment rate climbing by two-tenths of a percentage to 12 percent:

"The dismal unemployment numbers announced today are a stark reminder that the policies of the Democrat majority are failing California. We don’t need unrealistic green job programs or toothless legislative reform. Instead of piling on more job-crushing bills, the Democrats should vacate Sacramento and give California business owners a chance to turn things around."

Statement of California Democratic Party Chairman John Burton on Loss of 74,000 Jobs As Result of Republican-driven FAA Partial Shutdown

Seventy-four thousand Americans, including seventy thousand private sector employees such as construction workers and four thousand federal employees, are out of work as a result of the Congressional Republicans' refusal to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration extension bill.

Here in California, airport construction projects in San Jose, Oakland and Palm Springs are on hold because of the GOP's radical actions and unyielding philosophy that borders on the mentally unstable. Hundreds of Californians have now been furloughed and told there won't be work for them until the Republicans reauthorize FAA funding.


The GOP owes thousands of Americans, and hundreds of Californians, an apology and explanation because their rigid philosophy has literally cost Californians their jobs and may even compromise air safety.