Brown, Lawmakers Hit the Road To Promote Their Budget Objectives
Gov. Jerry Brown (D) and Democratic lawmakers have started traveling across California to drum up support for their tax proposal, while Republican legislators are embarking on a competing road trip to sell their party's budget objectives, the Sacramento Bee reports (Yamamura, Sacramento Bee, 4/8).
Background
Last month, Brown signed legislation to reduce state spending by $11.2 billion. The measures included deep cuts to several health programs and funding shifts that diverted money away from mental health and childhood development programs.
Brown initially planned to close the remaining $15.4 billion deficit by putting a tax extension measure before voters in a June special election. However, GOP lawmakers refused to provide the necessary votes to put the tax measure on a June ballot (California Healthline, 4/7).
Democrats' Road Trips
Over the next few days, Brown plans to travel to Riverside and Orange counties to discuss budget options now that the deadline for a June ballot measure has passed. The governor is considering pushing for a special election on the tax issue this fall (Herdt, Ventura County Star, 4/7).
Democratic leaders have said that each house of the Legislature will hold budget hearings across the state over the coming weeks. Senate President Pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) said he hopes to illustrate what an "all cuts" budget would entail if Brown's tax measure fails (Sacramento Bee, 4/8).
On Thursday, Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee Chair Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) held the first legislative hearing on the possible ramifications of an all cuts budget (Buchanan, San Francisco Chronicle, 4/8).
Republicans' Multi-Stop Tour
Meanwhile, the California Republican Party has organized a multi-stop tour to oppose Brown's tax plan, push for pension reductions and promote other legislative goals (Sacramento Bee, 4/8).
State GOP Chair Tom Del Beccaro said the tour will begin on Thursday in Fresno, and will include stops in Bakersfield, Riverside, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose and Stockton.
In a release, Del Beccaro said the tour will help Republican lawmakers "communicate directly with voters about why higher taxes and regulations will only make matters worse for the budget and California families" (Marinucci, San Francisco Chronicle, 4/8).
Broadcast Coverage
Headlines and links to broadcast coverage on lawmakers' efforts to sell their budget goals are provided below.
- "Budget Road Shows" (Russ, "KXJZ News," Capital Public Radio, 4/7).
- "Brown Hopes Hugs Will Persuade Republicans To Support His Budget" (Small, "KPCC News," KPCC, 4/7).