Statement of Courtni Pugh, Executive Director, SEIU California State Council
“The budget deal is the worst in memory. It robs from our future. It relies on irresponsible gimmicks and tricks. It provides no real solutions. And it makes damaging cuts to education and healthcare.

”The 2/3 budget vote rule has produced years of bad budgets, but this budget deal does permanent damage. It adds more bad rules to our Constitution that will haunt future budgets for generations. These rules will force us to make perpetual cuts to education, healthcare, and other vital services and will block any progress.

“The legislature and the Governor have sold out the future of this state in exchange for a house of cards that will collapse in a matter of months. Without real revenue, the deal perpetuates the fiction that we don’t have to pay for the services we want.

“SEIU’s 700,000 members in CA will continue to fight for real solutions. We will work to fix our chronic deficit and the problems that cause it. Because of this irresponsible deal, our job just got a lot bigger.”