In an attempt to close California’s $15.2 billion budget deficit, Governor Schwarzenegger has proposed some of the largest cuts to vital investments in California’s history, including slashing more than $4.3 billion in funds to schools and students, and nearly $3 billion from hospitals and critical health and human services for the sick and elderly.

That’s why we need to write our legislators TODAY to let them know that a “cuts-only” budget only short-changes California’s future.   We need to tell them to instead find a balanced approach that includes finding new revenue streams.

The governor has also proposed a major amendment to the California Constitution that would give him broad new powers over the state budget process and state spending.

The non-partisan Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) has called the proposal “misguided” and “counterproductive,” saying it will not serve its intended purpose to help balance the state budget in tough economic times.  In fact, it undermines our system of checks and balances, and a similar proposal was already overwhelmingly rejected by California voters in 2005.

We need to show our legislators that the proposed cuts hurt California’s families and our future – so please, choose an issue area like the examples given below and explain to your legislator why it’s so important to YOU that we reject a cuts-only approach!

Cuts Hurt Our Students:

• $4.3 billion in cuts to education will result in fewer teachers, counselors, librarians, special education assistants, and the other critical school staff that help students learn, resulting in larger class sizes for students. Our state already ranks 46th out of 50 states in per pupil spending, and dead last in the ratio of teachers and critical support staff to students. 

Cuts Hurt Our Patients:

• Cutting nearly $3 billion dollars from our hospitals and health and human services endanger the healthcare facilities we all rely on, such as emergency rooms, trauma centers, rural hospitals, and burn units.

Cuts Hurt the Elderly and Disabled:

• Cuts to in-home services mean that the 406,000 aged, blind or disabled individuals who rely on these services to remain safely in their own homes will see drastic reductions that could affect their health and safety.

Cuts Hurt Seniors:

• Slashed funding for adult protective services means that 18,755 fewer incidents of elder abuse and neglect will be investigated. Reduced funding for senior nutrition programs means tens of thousands fewer home-delivered meals and brown-bag deliveries for seniors.

Cuts Hurt Families:

• Cuts mean that an estimated 800,000 California children and their parents will be dropped from their Medi-Cal health insurance coverage.  A family of four making $12,000 per year would no longer be eligible for coverage.

Cuts Hurt Kids:

• $200 million in reduced funding for preschool and certain child care programs and $60 million in cuts from after-school programs makes it harder for kids to be ready to learn and stay on-track for success.

Cuts Hurt Public Safety:

• Millions in cuts from gang and youth violence prevention programs put our neighborhoods and communities at risk of increased crime.

It’s time for us all to come together and protect the priorities that make our state great.   Write your legislator today and tell them to invest in our shared future!

July 3, 2008