….. and grandchildren  

  Senator Morrell Questions 

Governor Brown’s Priorities  

 

  Senator Michael  Morrell, R-Rancho Cucamonga, represents the 23rd District in the 

 State Senate. He is a member of the Senate Budget Committee and a member of  

Senate Budget Subcommittee #1 on Education.    

 

California State Senator Mike Morrell, R-Rancho Cucamonga January 9, 2015  issued the following statement in response to Governor Jerry Brown's draft state budget proposal for 2015-16:

"The governor's proposed budget continues to address paying down our state's long-term debt. It is a good step, but there is still more to do before we can actually call the budget 'balanced.' We must protect taxpayers and safeguard our children and grandchildren from having to deal with the $300 billion in unfunded liabilities we face.

 "I'm disappointed that the governor remains laser-focused on the $68-billion high-speed rail boondoggle, when he should be directing more attention to other pressing priorities like our aging infrastructure. To make matters worse, the train will be partially funded by the new hidden gas tax that went into effect January 1. My colleagues and I have introduced Senate Bill 5 to repeal the tax in the year ahead.

 "Additionally, while the budget does boost funding for K-12 schools and community colleges, it still fails to spend every dollar from the Proposition 30 tax increases on education, as voters were promised. The governor and the initiative's backers must also keep their commitment to ensuring tuition rates remain frozen at our state's universities at least while the taxes are on the books. California's economic viability depends on the accessibility and affordability of our higher education system.

 "As a member of the Senate Budget Committee, I'm ready to work with the majority party to craft a fiscally responsible state budget that reins in government expansion and prevents future generations from having to solve the crises we can and must address now."