Santa Barbara County Democratic Party

How We Got Here

Year after year, the California Legislature finds itself locked in dangerous gridlock over the State budget. In this video, California State Assembly Budget Committee Chair Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa) deftly explains the structural problems that keep leading us back to the same budget crisis.

What Now?

After the defeat of the Propostions in May, California now faces an approximately $23 billion dollar budget deficit. In order to close this gap, painful cuts will be necessary. However, the Democratic Party remains committed to a balanced approach that increases revenue to prevent the need for the worst of the cuts to be made. This is a side by side comparison of the Governor’s budget proposal and the Budget Conference Committee’s proposal.

How You Can Help

• In order to reach the 2/3rds vote required in both houses of the legislature to pass a budget, we are going to need a few republicans to break with their party and vote for a sensible budget that serves the needs of all Californians. To make that happen the Democratic Party has set up a phone bank to Democrats living in Republican districts so that you can share your concerns with their constituents and convince them of the need to make their voices heard. All you need to do is click here and follow the script provided. Even just a few calls a day add up.

• Unfortunately, here in Santa Barbara County we too live in Republican districts. Which means that it’s critical that we put pressure on our Republican representatives to listen to the voices of their constituents who want a sensible budget that’s fair to all Californians:

• If you live in the 33rd Assembly District, Sam Blakeslee’s District Office can be reached at (805) 549-3381 and his Capitol Office can be reached at (916) 319-2033. Assemblyman Blakeslee is the Assembly Minority Leader and needs to be told to let his caucus support their constituents.

• If you live in the 15th Senate District, Abel Maldonado’s District Office can be reached at (805) 549-3784 and his Capitol Office can be reached at (916) 651-4015. Senator Maldonado was one of the few Republicans to put the good of all Californians ahead of petty partisan pledges to vote with us on the budget this winter and we need to let him know that his constituents want him to do it again.

• If you live in the 19th Senate District, Tony Strickland’s District Office can be reached at (805) 306-8886 and his Capitol Office can be reached at (916) 651-4019. Senator Strickland won his seat in the last election by less than 900 votes out of more than 400,000 cast. We need to make sure he knows we expect him to represent the views and needs of all his constituents, not just the slim majority that elected him.