[courtesy of California Progress Report]

In this week’s Democratic weekly radio address, Assemblymembers Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa) and Alberto Torrico (D-Fremont) present the Assembly Democratic plan to solve California’s budget crisis.

You may listen in English or Spanish or read the transcript below.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Diane Trzcinski
Cab Drollery

California's Governor Schwarzenegger has just issued a revised budget plan for the state, one that isn't sitting well with anyone, even the Republicans. He's backed off his plans for early release of thousands of prisoners, closing state parks, and slashing education funding. What's his plan? He's going to ask the voters to privatize the state lottery and use the funds to cut the debt and build a rainy day fund. If they refuse, he'll raise the state sales tax. Oh, and he's going to increase the cuts to Medi-Cal and other programs that assist the poor.

Obviously the element that is drawing the most ink is the lottery plan. Originally establish by an initiative, the lottery can't be tampered with except by another vote by the people. Giving the people a choice between losing future profits (all of which are supposed to go to school funding) and facing a sales tax increase now must seem like a slam dunk to the Governator.

An article in the Sacramento Bee summarizes the new budget plan:

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Lynn Suter
Legislative Advocate

Here's what we know this morning. The actual announcement is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.

The major points:

• The deficit will be pegged at $15.2 billion, whatever that means. We no longer believe any of the numbers, so the Gov might just as well stick with one.
• The Gov will propose more cuts, raid special funds, and propose new revenues to close the gap.
• The Gov will propose "securitizing" future lottery funds with some kind of RAN, closing a big chunk of the deficit. I don't begin to understand how or whether this works, but am sure to be educated soon. Apparently he wants to let voters decide between a sales tax increase and borrowing from the lottery.
• Gov thinks the "reduced deficit" plus the lottery scam, cuts, and new fees, gets the state within spitting distance of deficit erasure.
• Gov will propose a back-up automatic sales tax increase to cover the deficit in case the voters reject his proposals in November.

Proposals we expect:

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

California already spends less in Medicaid than all states except Louisiana and Georgia

By Frank D. Russo

This is not something that makes one’s breast swell with pride about the state of California in the 21st Century. Governor Schwarzenegger has rolled out the “Year of Education” and proposes to cut needed spending, so our educational system will only worsen and the future for our kids will be dimmer. You’ve read about this here and in all newspapers in the state--the resulting pink slips to cherished teachers, stories about other states recruiting those who will not have jobs with these cuts, and the outpouring of parents, kids, teachers, and busineses who need a trained workforce who have been appearing in their local communities where the cuts are felt.

But still within memory of last year’s blockbuster “Year of Health Care” directed and produced by our Governor, his budget would increase the numbers of uninsured in our state--including children--cut hospitals and access to medical care for millions of Californians, and end up costing us more in the loss of Federal dollars than it “saves us.” You’ll be reading more about this as the budget moves forward.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

• New major spending cuts will likely hit critical programs

• Advocates fear major impact on disability rights for hundreds of thousands of people with disabilities, mental health needs, seniors & workers

By Marty D. Omoto
Director/Organizer
California Disability Community Action Network

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Jerry Shapiro
Pharmacist

The 10% across the board Medi-Cal provider cuts that were passed almost unanimously by both Houses of the State Legislature and signed by the Governor spell doom for both patients and providers. Once again a group of politicians made no effort to get input from either the beneficiary or provider groups. They just took an axe and cut away 10% of the budget deficit. Paying no attention to what these cuts will do in the short term as well as the long term.

In the short term, all expensive life saving drugs will be effectively removed from Medi-Cal other than getting them via hospitalization. This is a rather costly way to provide prescription drugs to patients.