Budgets

(Text as prepared for delivery)

06/02/2009 -- Speaker Bass, Senate Leader Steinberg, Assemblyman Blakeslee, Senator Hollingsworth, my fellow Constitutional Officers and my fellow servants of the people:

Thank you for the gracious invitation to address you today and to address the people of California.

Today I want to talk to you about our financial crisis.

Three months ago, the members of this body came together set aside their ideological differences and did what they believed was best for California.

We solved $36 billion of a $42 billion deficit.

But as you know part of our budget agreement required us by law to go back to the people for approval right at the time the people wanted to send Sacramento a powerful message.

And that message was clear:    » read more »

President rescinds budget cuts to Pacific Coastal Recovery Fund

June 1, 2009 -- Washington, DC. – Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch have successfully convinced the Obama Administration to restore $50 million in funding to restore Northwest salmon. The President and his staff responded to requests from Crapo, Risch and others in the Pacific Northwest to an original Fiscal Year 2010 budget proposal that would have zeroed out the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Program.    » read more »

May 31, 2009 -- As legislative conferees continue talking about the Fiscal Year 2010 budget, it’s important they and the public know the facts about education funding. For school year 2009-2010, our K-12 schools will receive nearly $200 million more than they have ever received in any fiscal year, a 7.8 percent increase over the previous highest year’s funding and a 10.6 percent increase over the funding public education actually received last year.    » read more »

May 29, 2009 -- FRANKFORT, Ky.—“The Consensus Forecasting Group has made clear today the significant budgetary challenge before us. We now face a $996 million shortfall for the General Fund and a $239.1 million shortfall for the Road Fund next budget year, beginning July 1, 2009.    » read more »

May 28, 2009 -- In anticipation of lower than expected revenue receipts and the resulting budget shortfalls for fiscal years 2009 and 2010, Kansas Governor Mark Parkinson has released the following statement:

“Throughout the country, states are struggling with declining revenues, and Kansas is no exception. Fortunately, we are in a much better position than most states.

“We have a strategy in place to manage our budget shortfall through the end of the current fiscal year on June 30th. This strategy includes delaying some education payments a few weeks and speeding up the Department of Revenue’s tax amnesty program.    » read more »

CHEYENNE, Wyo. - At a news conference on Wednesday, May 27, Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal said he planned to go ahead with five to ten percent cuts for state agency budgets despite optimistic projections released Friday by the Consensus Revenue Estimating Group.

The state’s economic analysts said Friday the reduction would be approximately $19 million for the rest of the 2009-10 biennium.

The Governor said he would move cautiously, noting that the revenue projections had changed dramatically in the last year.    » read more »

May 28, 2009 -- TRENTON - In a victory for all of New Jersey's children, New Jersey Governor Jon S. Corzine today praised the decision by the New Jersey Supreme Court affirming the constitutionality of the School Funding Reform Act of 2008.

"I am deeply gratified on behalf of the state and all of our children. This is a truly historic ruling that brings to conclusion decades of conflict and litigation that many thought would never end," Governor Corzine said.

"By agreeing that the new funding formula is constitutional and that the prior Abbott remedies are no longer necessary, the court has allowed us to focus in a unified and predictable way on meeting our obligation to all of our children while in no way prejudicing those who have benefited from the Abbott rulings in the past."    » read more »

May 28, 2009 -- AUGUSTA – Maine Governor John E. Baldacci has signed the State budget for fiscal years 2009, 2010 and 2011.

“Today’s circumstances place demands on the Legislature that we haven’t seen in generations,” Governor Baldacci said. “From the first deliberation of the budget back during the winter to the final days of negotiations, there was every opportunity for Maine to become divided by self-interest and partisanship.

"But instead of giving into the path that has lured many of our colleagues in other States to gridlock and stalemate, Democrats and Republicans – conservatives and liberals, and folks in the middle – came together to pass a State budget that is fair, reasonable and responsible.”    » read more »

May 28, 2009 -- HONOLULU – Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle issued the following statement today regarding the Council on Revenues’ reduced revenue forecast.

“The Council on Revenues’ latest reduced revenue projections show that the state budget shortfall is much more severe than earlier projected.

“Although last week I instructed all state departments to reduce discretionary spending by 2 percent, on top of earlier budget restrictions of 6 percent, this will not be enough to cover the $185.6 million shortfall between now and June 30, 2009.    » read more »

Applauds Legislature’s hard work and commitment to moving Florida’s economy forward

May 27, 2009 -- TALLAHASSEE – Florida Governor Charlie Crist today signed the $66.5 billion 2009-10 budget, praising the Florida Legislature for putting together a budget that preserves Florida’s investment in economic development, education and public safety.

“The budget I signed today contains no broad-based tax increases, no early release of inmates, and no drastic layoffs of employees,” Governor Crist said. “Instead, it continues the forward movement of Florida’s economy by maintaining critical services to Florida’s most vulnerable, investments in Florida’s classrooms, teachers and students, and the safety and security of our communities.”    » read more »

Force Seniors and People with Disabilities Out of Their Homes and into Institutions

May 26, 2009 -- Los Angeles/Sacramento, CA -- Seniors, people with disabilities and the people who provide the care that permits them to live at home launched a statewide effort today to fight back against Governor Schwarzenegger's sharp and deep budget cuts with a 48-hour vigil at the State Capitol, a class-action lawsuit, and a new television and print ad campaign featuring President Barack Obama.

SEIU Ad Buy Features President, Affected Senior and Caregiver    » read more »

Community Protection Programs Would Face Steep Cuts under Senate Budget Proposal

May 26, 2009 -- HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell today announced that eight contracts and 22 grants have been awarded for 47 flood protection and stream improvement projects in 21 counties. An additional four projects in two counties are currently in the grant execution process and will be awarded soon.

Total value for the 51 projects is more than $2.5 million but Governor Rendell warned that funding for these projects in the future will be jeopardized under spending cuts proposed in the state Senate version of the 2009-2010 budget.    » read more »

May 22, 2009 -- WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL), a senior member of the Senate Budget Committee, made the following comments regarding the fiscal year 2010 federal appropriations process:

“I am pleased to lend my support to a number of meritorious projects in Alabama that should be given strong consideration for funding in this year’s appropriations process.    » read more »

May 21, 2009 -- (Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) released the following statement after the Supplemental Appropriations Bill of 2009 passed the U.S. Senate by a vote of 86-3.

“I support this bill because I’m committed to giving our service members the equipment, training, and care they need.

“As we transition to a new strategy in Afghanistan, and continue the responsible redeployment of troops from Iraq, we must do whatever it takes to protect the brave men and women in harm’s way. That means providing more mine resistant vehicles, funding our Stryker brigades, helping Afghanistan and Iraq take responsibility for their own security, and expanding care for our wounded warriors when they return home. This bill does that.    » read more »

Lincoln says “no” to funds for closure of Guantanamo

May 22, 2009 -- Washington – U.S. Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) today said a funding bill passed by the Senate late Thursday provides critical resources to protect our troops fighting overseas along with funding for critical health care needs and for services that help reservists transition back to their families and communities once they return home.

“Our troops fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq, including over 1,000 activated reservists from Arkansas in addition to those serving on active duty, deserve every resource we can provide to keep them safe and ensure they are prepared to meet the demands of their missions,” Lincoln said.    » read more »