SACRAMENTO – Today, Assembly Budget Committee Vice Chair Jay Obernolte (R-Hesperia) issued the following statement in response to the release of Governor Brown’s revised budget proposal:
“We owe it to Californians to act as good stewards of their tax dollars. I’m pleased that the governor’s proposal adds to the rainy day fund, but we must do more to prepare for the next economic downturn. Saving more now, will ensure that education funding and other essential programs will remain intact down the road.
“With our current $8.4 billion surplus, it’s clear that there was no need for the Legislature to pass a $52 billion gas tax. Surely our state could have prioritized spending to pay for maintaining our roads. We need to focus on wisely investing this surplus to pay down debt and make one-time expenditures in modernizing our state’s crumbling infrastructure. We also need to prioritize funding for programs that keep our communities safe and make California more affordable. As it is, California working families are struggling to survive in our high tax climate and we need to look at ways to lower their tax burden.
“I look forward to working with my colleagues and the governor to pass a responsible budget that funds critical programs, safeguards our state’s fiscal health, and invests in California’s future.”
Assemblyman Jay Obernolte represents the 33rd Assembly District, which includes the San Bernardino County communities of Adelanto, Apple Valley, Baker, Barstow, Big Bear City, Big Bear Lake, Big River, Crestline, Fort Irwin, Hesperia, Johnson Valley, Lake Arrowhead, Lenwood, Lucerne Valley, Needles, Oak Hills, Phelan, Running Springs, Silver Lakes, Trona, Twentynine Palms Base, Twin Peaks and Victorville.
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