The Strickland Report: August 2009

Message from Tony

On July 24, Democrats and Republicans joined together to solve a $24 billion budget shortfall.

Unfortunately, no one wins when there is a $24 billion budget deficit. Democrats don’t win. Republicans don’t win. Working families don’t win.

Every government program received some cuts. However, I worked with everyone to ensure that there were dramatic cuts to wasteful government spending. For example, I authored Senate Bill 63 which eliminated the Integrated Waste Management Board which pays members $132,178-a-year to meet just one or two times a month.

While the elimination of the Integrated Waste Management Board was a enormous success, our work as legislators is far from done. Job creation and promoting a business friendly environment here in California is key to ensuring our economy from future budget shortfalls. As your State Senator, I will continue to work to make sure all businesses are given the best opportunity to prosper and thrive in California.

I hope you’ll take a moment to read about what I’m fighting for on behalf of my constituents. Please feel free to contact me at (805) 306-8886 or on my website at www.senate.ca.gov/strickland if you have a problem with state government, or a question about an issue.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Tony Strickland

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Please Join State Senator Tony Strickland
For a Community Coffee Event

Do you have ideas for the state economy?
Are you having a problem with a state agency that is not getting resolved?
Do you want to give you opinion on state legislation that affects your community?
If so, this is your opportunity to discuss it directly with Senator Tony Strickland.

Friday, August 21 from 8:30 am – 9:30 am
Marie Callendar’s, 1295 S Victoria Ave. Ventura, CA 93003-6535

If you have additional questions, please contact Senator Strickland’s district office at (805) 306-8886.

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Lawmakers to host event at Hummingbird Nest Ranch

Please Join Senator Tony Strickland and Assemblywoman Audra Strickland for a wine and cheese event at Hummingbird Nest Ranch for Loving Heart Hospice Foundation.

“The Loving Heart Hospice Foundation is a wonderful organization which provides generous support to terminally ill patients in Ventura County and San Fernando Valley. We are honored to be able to give back to our community by hosting this event for them,” said Tony and Audra Strickland.

The event is being held on Thursday, September 17th from 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm
at Hummingbird Nest Ranch, 2940 Kuehner Drive, Simi Valley, CA
All proceeds to benefit Loving Heart Hospice, a non-profit foundation
Reservations are required to attend this event

To RSVP for the event, please contact Barbra Williamson at:
bwilliamson.lhhf@scbglobal.net or (805) 517-1620

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Why I Voted for the State Budget
By Senator Tony Strickland

As published by the Santa Barbara News-Press on August 8.

On July 24 I joined Democrats and Republicans and voted for the California state budget. As you know, California is in a fiscal crisis. Our $24 billion budget deficit was one of several serious problems facing California like mounting job losses and plunging home values. Some special interests advocated for higher taxes. However, I worked with members of both political parties to pass a responsible budget that cut wasteful government spending, made significant reforms to broken programs, preserved as much as possible essential services like education, healthcare, and law enforcement and did not raise taxes.

There were 32 different bills that made up the budget package, and while there were bills I didn’t support, I supported the majority of them because no one wins when there is a $24 billion budget deficit. Democrats don’t win. Republicans don’t win. Working families don’t win. It was crucial that legislators came together to form a compromise on the budget that stopped the state from issuing IOU’s and restored some semblance of fiscal sanity.

Unfortunately, every government program received some cuts. But, I worked with everyone to ensure that there were dramatic cuts to wasteful government spending. For example, I authored Senate Bill 63 which eliminated the Integrated Waste Management Board. This Board pays members $132,178-a-year to meet just one or two times a month. Members of this board, who are mostly termed out legislators, were making about twice as much as our teachers, police officers, and fire fighters for 1/10 the amount of work. Outrageous examples like this are part of the reason that we faced such a staggering budget deficit. My legislation abolished this board. Political paybacks like this should be the first thing on the chopping block - not the last.

The budget also contains numerous other significant reforms that promote government efficiency and allow us to save billions of badly-needed taxpayer dollars over the coming years. These reforms include greater accountability over state programs like CalWORKs and eliminating fraud and abuse in the In Home Support Services program. The budget has also put an end to automatic cost of living adjustments and has eliminated and consolidated several other boards and commissions in addition to the Integrated Waste Management Board.

While this budget vote was one of the toughest votes for many legislators including myself, it was a necessary compromise that had to be made. In any compromise there is always going to be parts that you don’t agree with or bills you’d rather not vote for but this was a crucial step that had to be taken for California to be able to move from economic disaster into stability.

I have long advocated that California live within its means and cut wasteful government spending. I hope this budget shortfall is a teachable moment and California has learned that we cannot spend money that we don’t have. Our economy can’t sustain it.

Ultimately, the two best things to come from this budget are that we cut wasteful government spending and did not raise taxes. But unfortunately to close the $24 billion budget deficit, we had to reduce funding for many important services.

Now that we have successfully passed a bipartisan state budget we must take steps to create jobs and improve our economy. We must focus on creating a business friendly job environment in order to move away from the cycle of continues budget shortfalls. I reject the old politics that offers a false choice between higher taxes verses lower spending to improve California’s economy. I think there is a third way.

California needs to transition to a renewable more energy efficient economy. This will create jobs, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, improve the environment, and lower energy prices. Endless opportunities exist in furthering solar, wave, and wind technology.

As your State Senator, I’m committed to working with everyone regardless of political party to change California’s economy and fundamentally change how we tackle the budget.

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Around the District

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