Das Williams
Dear Friends,
Last weekend we held our first town hall meeting in Ventura concerning the budget. The nonprofit, Next 10, demonstrated their California Budget Challenge, which allowed attendees to vote on Governor Brown’s proposals to balance the budget. The Ventura and Oxnard community members in attendance voted to extend the current tax rates and make some of the cuts to balance the budget. In fact, they voted so consistently and overwhelmingly for solutions, they ended up well into the black, the first group in the state to do so! This made one thing perfectly clear to me: our constituents want to do whatever it takes to get our state back on track, and I am right there with them.
The sense of urgency about California’s financial situation is felt throughout Sacramento, as well. Governor Brown is pushing the legislature to pass a budget far earlier than normal. We could have a vote as early as Friday.
As many of you are aware, Governor Brown has proposed a solution that is half cuts and half revenue extensions of the current tax rate. When I was running for this seat, I promised that I would not support a cuts-only budget. I believe this budget is the right solution. In the Assembly, when we saw a cut that was too brutal to humanely take, we proposed to substitute them with other cuts that still preserve the principle of a solution that is half cuts and half revenue extentions. I will be the first to admit that the cuts are going to be devastating but we will rebuild and we will recover, because that is what Californians do.
The second half of that budget, the revenue extensions, will require a 2/3 vote from the public to be approved because of the recent passage of Prop 26. In order to even get the extensions on the ballot, we need a 2/3-majority vote in the legislature. There is a group of about 30 Republicans in the state legislature who have banded together to form the Taxpayer Caucus, vowing to vote against any tax and even against allowing voters the opportunity to pass the extensions. Prop 26 was passed because voters wanted the chance to decide what taxes they were willing to pay. They wanted to take the decision out of the hands of legislatures. Now many of the same people who supported Prop 26 are standing in the way of voters having their voices heard on this issue.
If the revenue extensions are not passed, the damage that will be done to our state will be unrepairable. We will have to cut education, public safety, further cut health and human services, and many other services we, as a state, hold most dear.
When I started this race, I told all of you that I would not be able to fix our state by myself. I am now calling upon you for help. I urge all of you to take just a few minutes of your time to call all your state representatives, and those representatives in neighboring districts, and urge them to vote to put the revenue extensions on the ballot.It doesn’t mean they support the extensions themselves, it simply means they support our democracy and the right of the voters to decide what taxes they pay.
You can find a list of all state legislators here.
Another opportunity to get involved in the political process is by attending the Santa Barbara County Democratic Party’s General Membership Meeting this Saturday, March 5th from 9:30am to 4pm, at the Goleta Valley Community Center (5679 Hollister Ave.).
All registered Democrats are welcome to attend and there is a suggested donation of $10 to help the local party’s efforts. I am pleased that we will have our field organizer, Darcel Elliott, leading a workshop on how to run a successful field campaign (which many of you were a part of!). Other workshop topics include:
Candidate Preparation, led by former Supervisor Susan Rose, former Mayor Marty Blum, and Lois Phillips
Redistricting, led by Chris Lanier from CAUSE
Immigration, led by Belen Seara from PUEBLO
Dibs My Peeps (you must attend to find out what this is!), led by Tania Israel and Chris Lanier from the Party’s Grassroots Organizing Committee
Political Fundraising, led by Geoff Green
Housing Density, City Planning, and Homelessness, led by Santa Barbara City Council member Grant House and Mike Foley from Casa Esperanza
CA State Budget, led by Mari Lopez from California Partnership
If you have any questions about the meeting, any of the workshops, or just want to RSVP, please call (805) 965-8030 or email sbdems@gmail.com. RSVP by March 2nd!
Thank you for all the work you do to improve our state and for your continued support. I hope to hear from you soon!
Das