SACRAMENTO - With less than five days until the end of the fiscal year, Assembly Republican Leader Martin Garrick, of Carlsbad, calls on Sacramento Democrats to stop wasting time on trivial and symbolic acts and instead focus on passing a responsible budget.
MP3 PODCAST for DOWNLOAD time for budget solutions, not state rock debate - garrick's assembly republican weekly address
Time For Budget Solutions, Not State Rock Debate - Garrick's Assembly Republican Weekly Address
Hello. I'm Martin Garrick with this week's radio address from the State Capitol.
With less than five days until the end of the fiscal year, and California in a downward financial spiral, you would think the Legislature's sole focus would be on the state's budget. You expect your representatives to be working around the clock on a bipartisan solution to close our $19.1 billion dollar budget deficit. Or passing urgent legislation to get our struggling economy back on track and get people back to work. Unfortunately, you would be wrong.
In fact, you would be shocked to learn what Democrats were actually debating this week. Instead of going through the budget line by line to find budget savings, Democrats this week held hearings about a plan to get rid of the state's rock. It's currently serpentine, which apparently can be bad for your health according to one Democrat Senator.
The Legislature also declared June 14 through the 20th as "California Golf Week,"... after the week had already passed. This is a sad reminder that it's not just budgets that don't get passed on time at the State Capitol.
Finally, Democrats introduced a bill this week to criminalize "gate crashing" at the Oscars and other black-tie award ceremonies. While Hollywood party crashers might be really annoying to some, should this really be an urgent priority with 2.3 million people out of work?
There is a reason why politicians miss budget deadlines in Sacramento. And it's not because the Constitution requires a two-thirds vote for budgets and tax increases. It's because Democrats refuse to get serious about cutting wasteful spending and reforming state government.
Republicans stand behind the Governor's blueprint for a balanced budget. It will close the $19.1 billion dollar deficit responsibly - by setting priorities and reducing spending, without raising taxes. Meanwhile Assembly and Senate Democrat Leaders continue to fight with each other. They can't even agree on their costly schemes to tax and spend. But they seem determined to borrow from your children's future to protect government jobs.
The people have already spoken. They want a budget that lives within its means. They want measures that help the private sector create jobs. They don't want any more borrowing. They don't want any more taxes. And they don't want their elected representatives wasting time on trivial and symbolic acts in the face of a serious fiscal crisis.
This is Martin Garrick. Thank you for listening.
6/25/2010 Seth Unger (916) 319-2074
