(Sacramento) - Assembly Budget Committee Vice Chair Jim Nielsen (R-Gerber), today issued the following statement following a hearing on the May Revise budget:

"Today's action in budget committee was a complete façade," said Nielsen. "There is nothing in this budget 'framework' that is worthy of support. It assumes 58 billion dollars in tax increases imposed on hard working Californians, and has no mention of badly needed budget or pension reforms. Furthermore, it funds the Governor's dangerous realignment program, which is guaranteed only to increase crime in our communities.

Republicans were completely shut out of this process, and instead this budget 'framework' was conceived behind closed doors by only Democrat members and staff. I cannot cast an Aye vote for an unfinished, dangerous proposal such as this."