SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Californians are paying more and getting less. Even as the state is on track to collect more taxpayer money in the near future, the return on investment for core services continues to decline. The problem is not a lack of money, but years of bad spending priorities. With an $18 billion deficit on the horizon, California Senate Republicans unveiled their budget priorities to get back to basics, ensure results, and improve the quality of life for all.
“If financial literacy will soon be a requirement for high schoolers, perhaps it should be a requirement for legislators too,” said Senator Roger Niello, Vice Chair of the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee. “Essentially, our budget is a house of cards. One wrong move and the whole thing comes down. In addition to putting the basics first, the state needs to look at the programs it’s already funding and make sure they’re an effective and sustainable use of tax dollars.”
“The world’s fourth-largest economy should not feel like a third-world country,” said Senate Republican Leader Brian Jones. “But year after year, Governor Newsom and the progressive legislature continue to lose the plot. It’s not their job to waste your money on whatever feel-good cause-of-the-day they deem worthy. It’s their job to fund public safety, support essential services, and hold government accountable.”
In their letter, Senate Republicans called for the budget to focus on:
Lowering housing costs for renters and helping more Californians buy homes
Keeping Californians safe from crime and wildfires
Supporting hospitals and access to care for rural Californians
Eliminating fraud in Medi-Cal and other assistance programs
Investing in water and emergency services for disasters and droughts
Funding for UC and CSU so students can afford to stay and learn in California
Supporting job creators by reducing the Unemployment Insurance debt burden placed on them
Click here to read the full budget priority letter. Senator Niello is available for comment today, December 18.