California's Budget Crisis

By Jonathan Friedman

Jonathan Friedman will make tough decisions to balance California's budget by cutting ineffective programs to save the priority/vital programs. Sacramento politicians have cut across-the-board, hurting students, the disabled and those who use public transit, and raising sales taxes, instead of making tough decisions.

California's budget crisis is immense and it is the product of decades of failed leadership. Sacramento politicians have consistently failed to address fundamental structural imbalances in California's revenue sources, and spend taxpayer money in undisciplined ways..

Instead of thoughtfully reviewing California's budget and cutting programs that are not essential, our state legislators took a hatchet to all spending, cutting across-the-board. As a result, our legislators have cut:

• $8 billion from public schools and community colleges
• $567 million from grants to disabled and blind
• $787 million from state colleges and universities
• $460 million from public transit
• $185 million from programs for the developmentally disabled

We also need to have a frank conversation about increasing revenues. Our legislators nearly doubled the Vehicle License Fee and increased the sales tax. This will simply drive sales to internet vendors, and devastate large and small business merchants. It will also drain purchasing power from our citizens, hurting the poor and elderly the worst. As your State Senator, I will look for more progressive options that will raise funds from those with more ability to pay.

As a Chartered Financial Analyst, I have the skills and the ability to dig into this budget crisis and create real, long-term solutions. I will protect the safety net for elderly and disabled Californians while serving as a true watchdog for all California taxpayers.