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8-A20 <br />THE BUDGET CRISIS - SOME PRESS QUOTES <br />Editorials <br />The Torrance Daily Breeze, 8/27/03, Voter <br />Demands Set Stage for Fiscal Crisis. "The <br />structural reforms necessary to prevent a replay <br />of California's fiscal crisis must include a revamp- <br />ing of the state's counterproductive initiative <br />process." <br />The Los Angeles Times, 8128/03, Petition <br />Seeks to Lower Threshold for Tax Hikes. "A <br />coalition of labor, liberal and government reform <br />groups presented state officials with 1 nAlion <br />signatures Wednesday for a ballot measure that <br />they say would resolve the political gridlock that <br />seems to annually haunt California's legislative <br />budget process." <br />San Diego Union Tribune, 8/25103, Blame <br />Ourselves — Voters Want Government Ser- <br />vices for Free. "California voters seem ready to <br />dump Gov. Gray Davis, in part over the state's <br />budget crisis. But the voters themselves are partly <br />responsible for the state's chronic fiscal dilemma." <br />The San Bernardino County Sun, 8/25/03, <br />This Year's 'Balanced' Budget Knocks Next <br />Year's Out of Kilter. "While the 2003 -2004 <br />budget is balanced and free of red ink on paper, it <br />will prove to be a short balancing act. This budget <br />leaves our state with a deficit of about $8 billion in <br />2004 - 2005." <br />Sacramento Bee, 8/27103, Dan Walters: <br />State Faces Fiscal Disaster, But No Candidate <br />is Facing Reality. "This election is looking more <br />and more like politics as usual, not the swamp - <br />draining that is so sorely needed." <br />Sacramento Bee, 8/24/03, Daniel <br />Weintraub: Suddenly, Everybody's Got a <br />Budget. "A review of the six candidates with the <br />most support in recent polls shows each has <br />suggested budget plans in varying levels of detail. <br />Some call for massive tax increases, and others <br />suggest deep spending cuts. Several include <br />creative ideas, some perhaps too creative." <br />News Stories <br />Sacramento Bee, 8/28103, Budget Initiative <br />Gains Steam. "Organizers of an initiative that <br />would make it easier for the Legislature to pass <br />budgets and raise taxes said Wednesday that <br />they have more than enough signatures to put the <br />measure on the ballot." <br />San Francisco Chronicle, 8/27/03, Repeal <br />of 'Car Tax' Increase Stalls. "A legislative effort <br />to undo the recently enacted vehicle license fee <br />increase most likely will be put on hold for now, <br />leaving Gov. Gray Davis little hope that the un- <br />popular increase can be repealed before the vote <br />on the recall." <br />Oakland Tribune, 8/24/03, County Closes <br />Outpatient Clinics. "Faced with a $45.7 million <br />deficit, the county has closed two outpatient <br />clinics in Oakland and could close the remaining <br />three, plus the trauma center at Highland." <br />San Diego Union Tribune, 8123103, Li- <br />cense -Fee Rollback Plan Facing Hurdles. "A <br />proposal to roll back a recent increase in vehicle <br />license fees and replace the lost revenue with <br />higher taxes on tobacco and upper- income earn- <br />ers has run into technical difficulties and might not <br />be introduced as legislation, a legislative spokes- <br />man said yesterday." <br />Our Mission <br />Restore and protect local control for cities <br />through education and advocacy to enhance <br />the quality of life for all Californians. <br />Visit the League's Official Web Site -- www.cacities.org PRIORITY FOCUS /PAGE 1 <br />