Assembly Budget Vice-Chair Jim Nielsen (R-Gerber) today issued the following statement in response to the Governor's May Revision to the state budget: 

"We will be going through the May Revise line-by-line, and analyzing the Governor's proposals.  We agree with the Governor that all spending reductions must be on the table.  We need to convene the budget conference committees immediately and put up a vote on this plan," said Nielsen.  "There are many government programs that need to be reduced because we simply can't afford to keep up this spending pace with a $19.1 billion deficit.  We cannot continue California-only health and welfare programs that are not required by the federal government.  We need to look at corrections spending to bring down inmate healthcare costs, and explore whether we can ensure justice and protect the public while housing lower-level inmates for less.  Further reductions in spending on the state workforce are unavoidable."

"This budget is full of tough choices, and no longer can those choices be punted, patched, or avoided.  I am confident that Republicans and Democrats can come together to do what is finally right for California, and do so by June 15th - there is no more time," concluded Nielsen.