The Differences Between Governor Schwarzenegger on the Budget and the District I Represent in the State Assembly

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Mark DeSaulnier
Member
California State Assembly

Contra Costa County was home to contrasting press conferences this week. Though both focused on the budget, they were very different events that evidenced very different understandings of the impact of the state’s budget crisis on Californians.

On Monday, Senate President pro Tem Don Perata, Senator Torlakson, Democratic legislators and I joined educators, parents, students and community activists. We discussed what a $4.8 billion dollar cut to education will look like for kids and teachers. The press conference was held on the front lawn of a local school, open to all.

On Thursday, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger had a “discussion” with a hand-selected crowd of mostly business leaders. It largely ignored the pain this budget crisis will inflict on working Californians.

He suggested his proposed 10 percent across-the-board cuts (including a $4.8 billion slice out of schools) won’t impact the lives of Californians.

Californians have needs. Our education system is failing our kids. Our healthcare system is woefully inadequate. In these times of foreclosures and stagnant job growth, hard-working Californians are slipping through the huge holes in our social service safety net.

If enacted, the governor’s plan would ensure the mediocrity (or worse) of our schools, health care system, and social safety net. Do we really want to make a generational mistake by ensuring our state will never invest in our children and grandchildren?

What the governor refers to as “rattling people’s cages” has a reality he fails to recognize.