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Friends of the Fourth
District:
We are facing the worst deficit in California’s history, thanks to
Gray Davis and the Democrats in the Assembly and Senate. Davis is
trying to solve his budget woes by dumping his financial problems on
local government. He is proposing an easy grab of discretionary
revenue used for critical local government services. The
consequences of this action will reach farther into the future than
even the effects of the energy crisis. Local cities and counties
will be unable to bear the burden and all of California’s residents
will pay the price.
The Governor’s plan is simple: Raise taxes, move the fastest growing
state-run programs to counties while providing minimal funding to
support them, and eliminate 40 percent of the discretionary funding
counties use to provide critical services.
Davis expects California’s counties to take on an additional $8.2
billion in program responsibilities without any assurance that there
will be an ongoing, stable and increasing funding source to meet the
increasing caseload demands. The re-aligned programs are among the
fastest growing in the state. The County will simply not have the
money to pay for the continuing growth.
The Governor plans to continue administering, mandating, and
expanding these programs, while leaving counties to find a way to
implement and pay for them. Local government should not be forced to
bear the brunt of this burden. We must continue to work hard to
protect local government and vital programs.
DON KNABE
Supervisor, Fourth District
County of Los Angeles
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