Progressive Democrats Sonoma County

June 8, 2009
Push for a Revenue Rescue for California

Californians deserve real solutions to the budget deficit. Responding to our economic crisis with an all-cuts budget will only make the state’s problems worse. Under Governor Schwarzenegger, we have suffered $23 billion in spending cuts in the current budget year alone.

A number of polls show the defeat of the May 19 initiatives was neither an endorsement of an all-cuts approach nor a rejection of raising revenues. In fact, polls show voters are in favor of revenue solutions by wide margins.

Deep cuts to vital programs undermine our economic recovery and jeopardize federal economic stimulus investments. And they will hurt all Californians in many different ways.

But Governor Schwarzenegger and Sacramento legislators do not appear to have gotten the message. We need to tell neighbors and legislators that there are better solutions—solutions that can save government programs Californians need and want.

Our state needs courageous leadership. We will support those who stand against an all-cuts budget, speak out for fair ways of raising revenue, and work to deliver a budget that invests in our future and protects all the people of our state. True leaders get their strength from the people they represent. We pledge to be that strength, and mobilize to support a sensible budget solution.

The above statement is from a growing coalition of organizations around the state.
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WHAT YOU CAN DO:

Call your state representatives.
Find your district and your representatives here: http://www.sonoma-county.org/RegVoter/district.asp

Tell them you support a revenue rescue for the California budget. Ask them what revenue proposals they support. See some examples of revenue sources below.

Contact Assembly leaders: Karen Bass and Darrell Steinberg for the Democrats, and Sam Blakeslee and Dennis Hollingsworth for the Republicans (Contact Info below).

(Go to http://www.leginfo.ca.gov for contact info for other legislators).
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov

Send this information to friends and neighbors. Then ask them to take action too.

Use this information to write op-eds and letters to the editor for a local publication.

Stay tuned to www.pdsonoma.org

Act Now!
Governor Schwarzenegger is trying to push through an all-cuts budget in the next two weeks. We need to act fast and act now. California needs your help.
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Revenue sources – Revenue Projection – Programs saved

Oil Severance Tax: AB 656 Torrico
Charges oil companies 9.9% of the value of oil they extract from wells in California. — $1 billion a year — State parks and health programs

Alcohol tax: AB 1019
Imposes a “dime a drink” fee on manufacturers & distributors of alcoholic drinks. —
$1.4 billion a year —MediCal, plus it could save an estimated $1.2 billion in matching federal funds

Restore top income tax brackets of 10 and 11 percent on incomes of $250,000 and above that were last used under Governor Pete Wilson: AB 2897 Hancock 2008 —
$4.0 billion in annual revenues — CSU and UC system and Cal Grants cuts that impact 296,000 students

Increase tobacco tax:AB 89 Torlakson —
$1.7 billion annually — Local governments

And these are just some of the revenue sources Democrats have proposed and Republicans have voted down—or that the governor has vetoed.

Please call or fax the legislators listed below and encourage friends and family to do the same. Thank you!

Assembly Speaker Karen Bass
phone —- 323-937-4747
Fax —- 323-937-3466
Speaker.bass@assembly.ca.gov

Assemblyman Sam Blakeslee
District phone — 805-549-3381
District fax — 805-549-3400
Capitol phone — 916-319-2033
Capitol fax — 916-319-2133

Senator Darrell Steinberg
District phone — 916-651-1529
District fax —- 916-327-8754
Capitol phone — 916-651-4006
Capitol fax — 916-323-2263

Senator Dennis Hollingsworth
District phone — 951-676-1020
District fax — 951-676-1030
Capitol phone — 619-596-3136
Capitol fax — 619-596-3140
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