Assemblyman Jim Nielsen (R-Gerber) made comments following today's initial Assembly Budget Committee hearing.

"I echo the statements from the Legislative Analyst Office and the Department of Finance that the $12 billion in proposed spending cuts are a good start.  These reductions will be painful, but they are necessary to create a more responsible, responsive, and accountable government, and a budget that remains in control," stated Nielsen.

"We must be very careful how we approach the proposed Realignment plan.  Realignment has merit as long as it does not dump state programs and problems on local government, while asking local government to raise local taxes to fund them.  I look forward to working with Budget Chair Blumenfield and the rest of the committee members to find solutions to our budget deficit without raising taxes on hard working Californians."