Statement of LACDP Chair Eric Bauman on Adoption of the Budget

“After seven weeks of holding the people and government of California hostage to a hyper-partisan right-wing agenda, enough Republicans in the State Senate finally broke free today to enable passage of the long-overdue state budget.

“This budget is by no means a great victory for the people of California, but in the face of unrelenting partisanship from the Senate Republicans, its passage is welcome.

“For weeks now we have watched as the Senate Republicans moved the goalposts every time a deal was at hand.

Did they do it to ensure a budget that protects those most in need? No!
Did they do it to ensure California remained fiscally sound? No!
Did they do it to cut spending on projects they hold dear? No!

“They did it in an attempt to strangle California’s landmark law to fight global climate change, an issue that has absolutely no bearing whatsoever on the budget and to attempt to advance other parts of their conservative agenda, so clearly out of step with the majority of Californians.

“It took concerted, outspoken and unbending leadership from Democratic Senate leader Don Perata and Democratic Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, who spoke out each day and refused to make a difficult budget even worse. It took the Governor traveling to Republican districts to demand these ideologues put the people of California ahead of their partisan interests.

“Many people have felt the sting of this unnecessary budgetary delay; especially small businesses that operate and provide services to nursing homes and child care centers. Community colleges, which faced the unknown as they prepared to begin the fall semesters and tens-of-thousands of students who did not know if their college grants and loans would be available in time to begin college.

“We urge Governor Schwarzenegger to spare those in greatest need, the elderly, disabled and others dependent on the state for healthcare and other critical services from further harsh cuts in the budget. Through the line-item veto process.

“The only answer to this budgetary insanity is the elimination of the two-thirds requirement for adopting a budget. The people of California should never again face the prospect of a small, unyielding, partisan mob, upending the operations of the State of California and forcing innocent people and small businesses to suffer.

“The LA County Democratic Party stands ready to join with our colleagues and like-minded groups across our state to once-and-for-all put an end to these budgetary shenanigans.”