GOP mostly applauds 10% budget cuts

Local lawmakers said they approved of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s commitment to cutting state spending, made as he unveiled his budget proposal Thursday at a Sacramento news conference. But opinions differed on his approach.

Schwarzenegger proposed cutting about 10% of the state budget across the board during a Sacramento news conference Thursday, in a move he hopes will make up for the state’s $14.5-billion deficit.

Some of the controversial cuts include closing 48 state parks — about 20% of them — releasing 35,000 non-violent inmates determined to be “low risk,” and significant cuts for education, which may include suspending Proposition 98, a measure intended to maintain certain minimums for state education funds. Local state-run beaches, including Huntington, Bolsa Chica, Doheny and San Clemente State Beach, would also face lifeguard reductions under the governor’s plan.

Local politicos — all Republican — said they were impressed with the governor’s speech, hitting home the talking point that plans to reduce the state deficit should not include “winners and losers.”

“We’re going to have to hold tight, but if there are reductions, it should be across the board and we should not choose winners and losers,” Assemblyman Van Tran said. “As for what we should cut, I think everyone should bear the responsibility and burden for this.”

“We expected the across-the-board 10% cut,” Assemblyman Chuck DeVore said. “The concept is not to pick winners and losers, but to propose an across-the-board reduction in the increase of state spending. Once you start picking winners and losers, you really set off the spending lobby up in Sacramento.”

State Sen. Tom Harman disagreed, calling some functions like public safety too important to cut. He said he strongly opposed releasing prisoners early.

“I’m concerned about his approach,” he said. “I like the idea of cutting spending, but not using a meat-ax approach and cutting 10% from everything. It’s not one-size-fits-all.”

Another common thread: no new taxes. Both the governor and his legislative allies insisted the new budget should not include a tax increase, and expressed doubt the Democrats would try to pass such a measure. Some also expressed tentative interest in the governor’s perennial proposal to amend the state constitution and tie state spending with projected revenue.

“[Legislative Democrats] better think long and hard if they want to raise taxes, because there won’t be the votes for that in the legislature,” DeVore said. “They certainly need to be circumspect about it, because I can guarantee a backlash in the ballot box from Republicans who have been warning about Sacramento’s spending crisis for some time.”

“It would be responsible to tie budget increase on not only spending, but annual population and cost-of-living increases, instead of spending all of our money in surpluses during the good years,” Tran said. “That will leave us in the hole when the rain comes — and when it comes it pours, like this year.”

Harman joined calls for no taxes but warned against some increased fees in the governor’s budget, saying they amounted to the same thing.

“We can solve this problem without a tax increase,” he said. “The governor says we can, and I think we can. But he’s got to be candid about it. A fee on property insurance — that’s a tax.”

Even local service administrators had a comment on the governor’s budget, which aims to cut approximately $4-6 billion from education — both from the state’s K-12 programs and state colleges.

Newport Mesa Unified School District Deputy Supt. Paul Reed said while the cuts will affect programs like special education and class reduction, the district was anticipating it. A more clear picture of how much money is cut and from where for Newport-Mesa will come into focus in a few weeks, he said.

For now, the plan will go before legislators for approval. The adoption of a state budget requires a supermajority — two-thirds of the body — to pass, giving the Republican minority significant leverage.

SOME OF THE MORE SIGNIFICANT CUTS IN THE GOVERNOR’S PROPOSAL

 A plan to close 48 California State Parks — equaling about one closure for every five parks.

 Less lifeguard services at Southern Californian beaches, including Huntington State Beach.

 Drop more than 7,000 state jobs from tax-funded payrolls.

 The release of 22,000 non-violent inmates from Californian jails

 A $4 billion drop in education funding, for K-12 and state universities.

CHRIS CAESAR may be reached at (714) 966-4626 or at [email protected]. MICHAEL ALEXANDER may be reached at (714) 966-4618 or at [email protected]. JOSEPH SERNA may be reached at (714) 966-4619 or at [email protected].