09/02/2008 GAAS:629:08 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Print Version |
Gov. Schwarzenegger Sends Letter to Legislative Leaders, Responds to Senator Perata on Continuing Appropriations
Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger today sent the following letter to legislative
leaders:
September 2, 2008
The Honorable Karen
Bass The Honorable Don
Perata
Speaker
President pro Tempore
California
State
Assembly California State Senate
State
Capitol
State Capitol
Post Office Box 942849
Room 205
Sacramento, California 94249-0046
Sacramento, California 95814
The Honorable Michael
Villines The Honorable Dave
Cogdill
Republican
Leader
Republican Leader
California
State
Assembly California State Senate
State
Capitol
State Capitol
Room 3104
Room 305
Sacramento, California 94249-0029
Sacramento, California 95814
Dear Speaker Bass, Senator Perata, Mr. Villines and
Senator Cogdill,
It is irresponsible not to have a budget more than two
months into the fiscal year and 80 days past the legislative deadline.
California is
now headed into unknown territory, but what we do know is that some state checks
will not be cut and that state services will be impacted.
We cannot afford a temporary fix. Legislators should not
be devising band-aid solutions like continuing appropriations. What legislators
should be focused on is passing a budget - the best way to ensure that state
payments are made.
This delay in the Legislature could cost California more than a
billion dollars, because we are losing another month of budget solutions
included in the compromise budget I proposed. Assembly Bill 207 would require
the state to take out a short-term loan that would cost hundreds of millions of
dollars - maybe more than a half-billion - and would dig our budget hole that
much deeper and make our cash situation that much
worse.
The best way forward is to vote on and approve the
compromise budget I proposed two weeks ago.
Sincerely,
Arnold
Schwarzenegger
