Citizens Oppose Brown’s Plan

The Southern California Tax Revolt Coalition (SCTRC) members have reviewed the information that Gov. Brown released regarding his 2012-13 budget plan.  Unwilling to tackle the entitlement spending or platinum pension levels for state workers, he targeted the cuts on K-12 schools, state universities and courts (threatening them with substantial reductions if California voters fail to pass his $7 billion tax-increase initiative in November.)  He also adds additional layers to our gargantuan bureaucracy.

Dawn Wildman, SCTRC President, offers this statement: “The Governor’s budget is entirely irresponsible, in light of the current economic situation.  I am sure Californians do not wish to become the American Greece.  Citizen groups across the state are poised to push-back on Sacramento’s current proposal.  Interestingly, California is obligated under law to devote 40% of the budget to education.  That being said, I find it very sad that Brown thinks the best approach to ensure his initiatives pass is to threaten taxpayers with their quality of their children’s lives.”

Leslie Eastman, SCTRC Media Director, offers this statement:  “Brown’s budget proposals are based on so many false premises that I hardly know where to begin.  For example, the ‘cuts’ that he touts are very meager, indeed.  Though he seems to trim just 1.3% from the total number of state employees, it is important to note the average pay for each state worker is about $80,000.  Brown says this ‘sacrifice” will pare 9.2 billion from the budget; the real number is a substantially lower $240 million.  The rest of the budget is filled with similar gimmicks, so I anticipate our assembly will be spending another long summer in Sacramento trying to pass a budget.”

Sarah Bond, SCTRC CEO, offers this statement:  Despite the fact their income dropped by 8% during our continuing economic unrest, Brown tags the Californians earning $250,000 a year as wealthy and wants to raid their incomes even more.  Brown’s campaign will be they don “pay their fair share”; the truth is, they pay for nearly everything.  It is good to remember the people in that income bracket are generally the wealth creators, unless they are public sector employees.  California has lost over five companies a week to other states last year, and Brown’s scheme will mean more potential employers will relocate to business-friendly environments.

New Agencies to be Created Instead of Dissolved:  SoCal-TRC holds that there are too many redundant agencies within the state.  Therefore, when it comes to spending proposals, we are opposed to the addition of new layers of bureaucracy, which can only further negatively impact the business climate of the Golden State. For example, a new Business and Consumer Services Agency that blends consumer affairs, “fair” employment offices, business licensing and inspection functions, and then adds the newly restructured Department of Business Oversight (which has never actually existed prior).  Individually, each of these agencies hinders the successful set-up and running of enterprises with very little consumer or taxpayer benefit.  Brown also intends to also establish another entirely new state agency, the Department of State Hospitals, which puts even more layers of paperwork and regulation between patients and healthcare providers. Furthermore, there are no solid plans for funding AB-32 (Global Warming Solutions Act) and the High Speed Rail System, both of which our organization decries as unnecessary and detrimental to the state of our State.  Therefore, taxpayers and employers remain in serious risk of being squeezed so hard we have an economic apocalypse.

For all these reasons, Brown’s budget is dead on arrival, in terms of support from hard-working California taxpayers.

Sincerely, The co-founders of the Southern California Tax Revolt Coalitions, Sarah Bond, Dawn Wildman and Leslie Eastman