Brown Delivers Vision for Long-Term Economic Recovery
California Labor Federation Executive Secretary-Treasurer Art Pulaski released the following statement today on Gov. Jerry Brown’s State of the State Address:
“In tonight’s State of the State, Gov. Brown delivered a vision for long-term recovery that’s been painfully absent in recent years. After seven long years of failed gimmickry and backroom deals, Brown offered a roadmap to restoring economic vitality built on the foundations of transparency and commonsense. It’s about time the adults are running Sacramento again.
“Brown knows, perhaps better than anyone, that the quick fixes and deep cuts relied on in recent years won’t put us on the road to recovery. Not only did Schwarzenegger’s slash-and-burn budgets fail to solve the problem, his actions made it much worse.
“We agree with the governor that the current budget crisis can’t be solved without a balanced approach, and the voters deserve to be heard. We fully support his call to bring to voters an extension of existing taxes to save our schools from even more devastating cuts. Without the extension, our kids will pay the price with school closures, more teacher layoffs and larger classroom sizes that will cripple public education. We can’t compete for jobs without a skilled, educated workforce. We’re also pleased that the governor has signaled willingness to stop subsidizing huge corporations that are receiving taxpayer handouts without creating jobs in return.
“Still, Brown’s budget proposal falls short in several key areas. Some of the cuts he’s proposed would disproportionately impact the most vulnerable among us. Deep cuts to In-Home Supportive Services, health care and higher education threaten to undermine his vision to rebuild California. We urge the governor and legislature to explore all options that would prevent severing the lifeline that many families rely upon and further damaging our colleges and universities.
“With unemployment still battering our families, Brown must commit fully to a plan that will put California back to work. That starts with investment in infrastructure, green jobs and education. While we’re pleased to hear Brown calling for a new era of innovation, it’s vital that we go further in the quest for jobs. And while the goal of realigning government so that it’s closer to the people is a good one, it must be implemented in a way that won’t hinder job growth or erode the quality of services.
“The California labor movement looks forward to partnering with the governor to revive our economy and move us forward as a state. While the road ahead is full of potholes, we’re confident that we have an experienced leader in the driver’s seat who can navigate California back to prosperity.”
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