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Jun. 17, 2009
Message from California Governor
This is an email message I received today from the Governor. I may take these posts down later on, but for now, they are pertinent.
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Thank you for writing to me about funding for Early Start. I am always inspired by Californians who are concerned about the most vulnerable members of our state.
In February, members of the Legislature set aside their ideological differences and solved our $42-billion deficit with a combination of cuts and tax increases. But as our economy has continued to deteriorate, California's revenues are much lower than we anticipated. In fact, our revenues for the coming year are at least 27 percent below where they were projected to be just two short years ago. We now face a shortfall that has grown to $24.3 billion, and the people of California have made their voices clear: they want the state to live within its means and solve its problems through spending cuts and not tax increases.
We are proposing cuts that I would have never proposed except in a worst-case scenario, and I fully comprehend the human costs. To achieve a balanced budget, deep cuts are required in all General Fund supported programs, including education, California's state parks and the prison system. Because a significant portion of the state budget goes to Health and Human Services - as it should - this is an area where a lot of cuts must be made. Behind those cuts are children who rely on critical health coverage, aged, blind and disabled people who rely on the In-Home Supportive Services program, and families who rely on grants and services provided through CalWORKs. I understand these cuts affect real lives, but this is the harsh reality of the crisis we face. We simply cannot spend money we don't have.
As I work with my partners in the Legislature to find solutions to these problems, know that I will keep your concerns in mind. Working together, I believe we can weather this storm and start the slow but steady march back toward prosperity.
Sincerely,
Arnold Schwarzenegger |
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