[courtesy of California Progress Report]

• Democratic-supported budget would largely restore Medi-Cal rate reductions
• California Discount Prescription Drug Program continues
• Semi-Annual Reports and Healthy Families premium increases still in negotiations
• Conference Committee could close down as early as this Sunday, July 6th

by Robert in Monterey [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By John Laird
Chair
Assembly Budget Committee

Our state parks are in crisis by any of a number of measures. In fact, the National Trust for Historic Preservation recently placed our entire 278-park system among the 11 most-endangered places in the nation.

Whether it’s a billion dollars in deferred maintenance, continuous weakening of operational support, the lack of money to staff new parks as California grows, or the basic inability to fund parks adequately in our annual budgets – we need a long-term solution.

Recently I proposed an annual $10 surcharge on non-commercial California vehicle registrations in exchange for anyone in a vehicle with a California license plate getting in to state parks for free—known as the Parks Access Pass.

A similar system works in Montana, and California would finally provide enough money for adequate maintenance and ranger services—and begin to work down the $1 billion backlog of deferred state park maintenance.

Earlier this year Governor Schwarzenegger proposed closing 48 state parks and beaches, causing a major public uproar. Following the governor’s announcement, more people called my district office about this than any other budget issue.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Elizabeth Goldstein
President
California State Parks Foundation

While we were thrilled to see that Governor Schwarzenegger removed 48 state parks from closure in his May Revise, we have concerns with his short-term solution, since it is possible and perhaps highly likely, that we will be facing significant revenue short falls next year, as well. This short-term solution would do nothing to permanently keep state parks off the chopping block during future budget cuts. We need a long-term solution that will provide the necessary means to keep California’s state parks open and preserved for future generations.

That long-term solution was introduced earlier this week when Assembly member John Laird announced the California State Park Access Pass program as part of the Assembly’s budget proposal. The California State Parks Foundation strongly supports this proposal to get us to that much-needed long-term solution.

by Robert in Monterey [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

by Julia Rosen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

In the Democratic weekly radio address, Assemblymember John Laird argues that the Governor’s budget proposal unfairly hurts struggling Californians.

You may listen in English or Spanish. The transcript is below.

Hello, this is Assembly Budget Chair John Laird.

Earlier this week, we saw the governor present his updated budget proposal for next year.

The governor’s proposals are not the right answer for California and are not a real fix. They’re bad for our economy, lay off teachers and are based on risky assumptions.

However, I am glad the Governor recognizes that we need to bring in more revenue -- that the budget deficit cannot be solved through cuts alone.

But there are cuts in this budget proposal that unfairly hurt struggling California families.

Also, the current budget does not address long-term solutions and I think it’s important to do that. So, I applaud the governor for embracing the proposal for a tax commission that will study ways to bring our state’s revenue collection into the 21st century.