Statewide Campaign Launched To Drum Up Public Support For May Ballot Measures
Steve Shadley, Capital Public Radio
Governor Schwarzenegger and democratic and republican lawmakers kicked off the "Budget Reform Now" campaign at a Sacramento School.
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(Sacramento, CA)
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Governor Schwarzenegger and lawmakers have unveiled a campaign to drum up support for six ballot measures.
They’ll all be on the May 19th special election ballot.
The campaign gets going on the heels of the long state budget battle.
During an event at a Sacramento School, the governor told voters the propositions are intended to bring what he calls “term health to the budget process...”
“When people see that republicans and democrats come together…law enforcement and the education community come together and say vote yes on those propositions because we need reform…so that we don’t have this problem ever again…I think the people will come in and vote for these propositions…”
One proposition would allow the state to borrow five-billion dollars from the lottery. Another would prohibit lawmakers from getting pay raises during times of budget deficits. Others would set aside more money for a “rainy day” fund for fiscal emergencies and boost education funding.
Senate democratic leader Darrell Steinberg says if voters kill the measures …the state will face an immediate six-billion dollar cash crunch and more financial problems in future budget years.