Budget Continues to Push California Into the Red

Aanestad Withholds His Support for Budget on Senate Floor

Senator Sam Aanestad (R-Grass Valley) voted against the state budget agreement that passed on the Senate Floor earlier today by a 35-4 vote. While the Senator believes there are many good things about the new spending plan, his opposition is based upon numbers. The budget continues to spend more money than the state actually takes in.

I like and support the commitments to rural sheriff’s departments, extra money for transportation, increased funding for our schools and funding for local governments,” said Senator Aanestad following the Senate budget vote. “However, we continue to spend beyond our means and this budget contains no structural reform that will guarantee this never happens again.”

The new budget spends more than the Governor’s original May Revision, and continues a troubling trend of deficit spending. The budget spends $90.1 billion, which represents a 10% increase over the General Fund money authorized in the 2004 budget act. The budget will also leave California with a deficit of $6 billion next year, and those numbers could grow if the economy falters.

Senator Aanestad points out that the budget’s revenue estimates are based upon very rosy economic forecasts, which assumes that California’s economic fortunes will continue to grow through next year. The highly respected Anderson School of Economics at UCLA, however, is predicting a slowdown in the California economy next year.

I was hoping to see a budget proposal that actually cut spending and forced us to live within our means,” said Senator Aanestad. “Instead, what we have is a budget that continues to grow the state bureaucracy. I can’t support that.”

Senator Aanestad says the State of California added 10,000 new employees this year when compared to last year’s budget. That does not represent a slowdown in the growth of the state bureaucracy. It’s an increase that the Senator refused to support.

My message remains the same,” said Senator Aanestad. “Quit spending more than we have, pay back what we owe and live within our means.”