SACRAMENTO –?Senator Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa) offered the following statement in response to the governor”s May budget revision:
“Now is the time to exercise some fiscal responsibility by reinvesting in California”s economy following years of austerity measures. The cuts-only approach?one that has failed miserably in Europe and beyond?is now contributing to our high unemployment rate and is hampering a full economic recovery.”
“Funding cuts to state programs caused historical job losses in every sector. These same funding cuts reduced the money being spent in our local economies.?California needs to spend some of our new revenues to put people back to work and contribute to the overall economic activity in the state to induce a resurgence in our local economies. ?
“In what is known as the ?multiplier effect,” state spending on social service programs translates into spending at local businesses, thereby improving employment and thus, providing new tax revenues for California. For every dollar we don”t spend, we actually lose several.?This is fiscal foolishness, not fiscal responsibility.
“Furthermore, I disagree with the governor”s statements today about a possible oil severance tax. Now is the time to implement tax policy that creates new, long-term revenues without harming average taxpayers. Global oil companies are reaping record profits without paying Californians for the use of California”s natural resources at a time when our college and university students are paying more for their educations. It is time for oil companies to pay their fair share.
“Lastly, as I”ve said before, we cannot have a functioning democracy without a functioning judicial system. Courtrooms have closed.?Courthouses have been locked.? People are not able to access justice when their lives or livelihoods depend on it.?If the only branch of government that upholds our laws is not open for business, everything we do in this building is for naught. That”s an absolute disgrace and frankly, its past time for the legislature to step up and reduce the ongoing harm to society by stopping the destruction of the judicial branch.”
Evans represents the Second Senatorial District, including all or portions of the counties of Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Marin (caretaker), Napa, Solano and Sonoma. Senator Evans chairs the Senate Committee on Judiciary.
