(SACRAMENTO) – The Service Employees International Union California State Council responded to the Governor’s proposed budget today, calling on him to offer balanced solutions to the budget – by addressing the revenue side of our fiscal problems and by facing up to the reality that we can’t solve the problem with cuts alone.

“We hoped and expected the governor would adopt a balanced and innovative approach to solving the state’s budget shortfalls, similar to his leadership on health care reform. Unfortunately, his proposal today will hurt all Californians, because we all rely on public services, whether it’s emergency services, fire prevention, schools, parks and beaches, or roads,” said Annelle Grajeda, President of SEIU CA State Council and SEIU Local 721.

Damita Davis-Howard, President of SEIU Local 1021, pointed to the Governor’s proposed Budget Stabilization Act as an example of a failure of leadership on the budget.

“This proposal has failed in the legislature and has failed with voters. The Governor should work to unite Californians around real solutions that we can all accept,” said Davis-Howard.

 “Instead of closing tax loopholes that benefit the most affluent people in our state, the Governor’s budget is aimed at children, seniors, people with disabilities and low-income Californians. That’s just unacceptable,” said Davis-Howard.

SEIU represents workers who are frontline providers of an array of critical services ranging from emergency medical services to homecare to child care.

“The budget is real to us, because we serve the people who will be hurt most if we don’t figure it out,” said Grajeda.

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