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<br />THE BUDGET STORY - PRESS QUOTES
<br />Editorials
<br />The Stockton Record, 6101/03, Hello, Sacra-
<br />mento, Are You here? — State's Future at
<br />Stake as the Clock Ticks Down on Budget
<br />Deadline. "It's the first day of June, and your state,
<br />awash in debt and deficit spending, is sinking fast"
<br />The Contra Costa Times, 6/02/03, State
<br />Spending Cap? "A spending limit linked to incomes
<br />and /or economic growth would keep spending under
<br />control and would be closely connected to people's
<br />ability to pay."
<br />San Francisco Chronicle, 6/1/03, State Budget
<br />Crunch — A 1991 Lesson in Cutting California's
<br />Deficit. "California finds itself in a situation remark-
<br />ably similar to 1991. With an original budget in the
<br />neighborhood of $100 billion, the state has a $38
<br />billion dollar shortfall between now and June 30,
<br />2004. Once again, the Legislature is dominated by
<br />Democrats who lack the full two- thirds complement in
<br />each house to work their will. But this time we see
<br />political stagnation."
<br />The Los Angeles Times, 6105/03, Capitol
<br />Journal — The Two Budget Titans Who Refuse
<br />to Budge. "Regardless of any road map, the drivers
<br />are Burton and Brulte. They're the Capitol's leaders."
<br />Sacramento Bee, 6/4/03, Dan Walters: Heat
<br />Wave Hits Capitol, But Politics of Budget Remain
<br />Frozen. "While both legislative houses have passed
<br />shells of a budget, infighting among majority Demo-
<br />crats, resistance to new taxes among minority Repub-
<br />licans, and Gov. Grey Davis' low standing inside and
<br />outside the Capitol loom as major, perhaps insur-
<br />mountable roadblocks."
<br />News Stories
<br />The Palm Springs Desert Sun, 5/31/03, Law-
<br />makers Oppose Fee Hikes —Trio: Davis Should
<br />Cut Costs, Leave Vehicle Licenses Alone.
<br />"Three local Republican lawmakers voiced their
<br />opposition Friday to an increase in vehicle license
<br />fees, which is part of Gov. Gray Davis' proposed
<br />budget.'
<br />San Diego Union Tribune, 6/3/03, A Better
<br />Way — An Alternative to Proposed Car Tax Hike.
<br />"The state can offset most of the governor's $2.9
<br />billion in proposed cuts in local government funding
<br />with the $2.4 billion in federal funds that just fell into
<br />the state's lap as part of President Bush's recently
<br />enacted economic growth package"
<br />The L.A. Daily News, 6/04/03, Windfall for
<br />Politicians – Democrats Think $2.4 billion in
<br />Federal Funds is Theirs Alone. "Even before
<br />California officially got its hands on the increased
<br />federal funds, Democrats in the state Assembly
<br />restored some $2.2 billion worth of Davis' cuts. If they
<br />get their way, that alone will take care of the short-
<br />lived windfall."
<br />The Ventura County Star, 6/04/03, The Making
<br />of a Megadeal — Parties Can Win by Linking
<br />Budget, Business Reforms. "Change some
<br />regulations in order to save employers money and
<br />allow them to invest in job - creating expansion. Raise
<br />some taxes to get through hard times without devas-
<br />tating the schools and the health care system. These
<br />are the cards that have been dealt to this crop of
<br />legislators. It remains to be seen how many will decide
<br />to play poker instead of Russian Roulette."
<br />The Contra Costa Times, 5131/03, Houston
<br />Criticizes Tripling Car Fees. "Assemblyman Guy
<br />Houston, R- Livermore, came here Friday to warn how
<br />a proposed tripling of the state vehicle license fee
<br />would steer "hard - working families" into financial cul-
<br />de -sacs"
<br />The Contra Costa Times, 5/31103, In Strapped
<br />Legislature, Spending Bills Die Quickly. "Legisla-
<br />tion authorizing the sale of more than $44 billion in
<br />bonds to pay for new libraries, courts, children's
<br />hospital improvements and a variety of other projects
<br />hit roadblocks this week as lawmakers grappled with a
<br />record budget deficit."
<br />San Francisco Chronicle, 6/1/03, Mentally 111
<br />Face Cuts to Service — S.F. Budget Trims Could
<br />Push Some Back to Streets, Experts Say. "On
<br />Monday, Mayor Willie Brown will announce a budget
<br />plan that some mental health experts fear could rip
<br />open the city's safety net for residents who are
<br />mentally ill. The plan would cut nearly $3 million in
<br />mental health services."
<br />Continued on Page e
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