Senator Yee on Governor's Revised Budget: "I Will Not Foreclose on Our Children's Future"

SACRAMENTO – Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco/San Mateo) issued the following statement in response to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s (R-Los Angeles) revised budget proposal:

“Our state deserves better than a budget filled with smoke and mirror gimmicks. The Governor’s proposal is devastating to the poor, elderly and our state’s most vulnerable at a time when they need help more than ever. Borrowing against the lottery is not the way to raise revenue and does not stop the massive layoffs of teachers and larger class sizes. As someone who created the largest rainy day fund in San Francisco, I understand the need for a reserve for difficult times. However, you should be creating those reserves during a good economy, as we did in San Francisco during the dot com boom, not during the worst deficit in California history. It is unacceptable to balance the state budget on the backs of children, teachers, seniors, and the working poor. The wealthiest among us, including yacht owners, should also share in the pain. I hope the Governor and my colleagues on the other side of the aisle will finally join Democrats in closing tax loopholes for the rich and support viable solutions to raising revenue. While I am more than willing to negotiate on this budget, I will not foreclose on our children’s future.”

Adam J. Keigwin
Office of Senator Leland Y. Yee, Ph.D.
Assistant President pro Tem
California State Senate, District 8
(916) 651-4008
SENATOR LELAND YEE