August 31, 2010

Contact: Meredith Turney
(805) 229-1117
mturney@afphq.org

Camarillo—Americans for Prosperity California called on legislators to reprioritize their legislative activities on the last day of the 2009-2010 session. With the state budget 62 days overdue, the Assembly and Senate are engaged in a marathon bill-passing spree. But the vast majority of the thousands of bills debated during the current session have nothing to do with California’s budget problems—other than spending more money that the state doesn’t have.

“We’re just hours away from the deadline for passing legislation, and almost two months past the constitutional deadline for passing a budget,” commented David Spady, State Director for AFP California. “If legislators want to show that they are truly serious about addressing the state’s fiscal problems, they will set aside any bills that don’t cut spending or contribute to a balanced budget.”

“One example of legislation that is actually addressing the budget crisis and its impact on taxpayers is AB 1506 by Assemblyman Joel Anderson,” stated Spady. “AB 1506 will require the state of California to accept as payments the very IOUs it issues to taxpayers. In other words, if a private company contracts with the state, and the government can’t pay that company for services rendered, then turns around and issues an IOU because there is no state budget, the company can then use that IOU to pay taxes or other debts it owes the state. This bill makes the state accountable for its irresponsible behavior in not passing a budget and expecting taxpayers to bail it out by essentially floating the government a loan. AFP California encourages Governor Schwarzenegger to sign AB 1506.”