Says in a fiscal downturn, families need more support, not less; urges leaders to adopt real revenues to protect schools, health care, and other vital services
Sacramento, CA -- Courtni Pugh, Executive Director of the SEIU California State Council sent the following letter to Governor Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders today as they met to discuss mid-year actions to address the state’s growing budget shortfall.

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October 27, 2008


Honorable Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor
Honorable Don Perata, Senate President pro Tempore
Honorable Darrell Steinberg, Senate President pro Tempore - elect
Honorable Dave Cogdill, Senate Republican Leader
Honorable Karen Bass, Speaker of the Assembly
Honorable Mike Villines, Assembly Republican Leader

Dear Governor and Legislative Leaders:

As you meet today to discuss the State's severe budget challenges, you do so amidst a human crisis not seen in this state since the Great Depression. Home foreclosures and sky-high unemployment rates continue to assault California's families financially and emotionally, and many hard-working families have seen their retirement savings wiped out in stormy weeks on Wall Street.  The billions of dollars in devastating state budget cuts adopted in September, especially to health and human service programs serving the most vulnerable populations, will add to the already desperate situation too many California families are facing.

Public statements by legislative leaders indicate that the broad outlines of a mid-year agreement will be crafted before legislative members meet to debate the critical issues before us.  As you consider such a plan, it is imperative that any mid-year state budget measures improve, not further erode, the critical situation faced by California's hard-working families, children, elderly, disabled, and vulnerable populations.  

Just one month after the budget was signed, the gimmick-ridden FY 08-09 spending plan is already estimated to be at least $3 billion short of meeting our critical needs.  Long-ignored needs for prison health facilities could further unravel this already shaky plan.  

In a fiscal downturn, families need more support, not less.  It is wrong from a fiscal and a moral perspective to further cut vital services during this serious economic downturn, when more Californians are relying on the public safety net. The Governor and the Legislature must reject further cuts which will cause serious damage to California's people, our future and our economic competitiveness, and begin to return California to a position where we can once again invest in health care, schools, public safety and other vital needs.   

Rather than again ignoring the state's sobering structural imbalance and forcing the state's most vulnerable to pay the price for political gridlock, you, our leaders, must stand up for California's future.  We urge you to adopt real, lasting revenues to avoid further cuts to schools, health care and other vital services.

Sincerely,
 
Courtni Pugh
Executive Director
SEIU California State Council