The Democrat-controlled Legislature passed a record spending budget today by a vote of 28 to 10. Vice Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee Senator Jim Nielsen (R-Tehama) issued the following statement:

“This is the largest budget we’ve ever had. It increases spending which continues on into the future with automatic cost of living adjustments without accountability.

“So many of the details in this budget were rushed through virtually no public scrutiny. There are many major public policy changes stuffed into this budget without committee hearings or public comment.

“This deal failed to include funding to repair critical levees damaged as a result of the Oroville Dam Spillway catastrophe. Protecting the lives, property, livestock and pets of 200,000 people who were directly impacted and remain endangered by the damage to vital flood control levees should be a priority for this Legislature and the Administration!

“Without public input, Sacramento Democrats changed current law to game the system to protect one of their own - changing the 100+ years old recall process. This is reason enough to vote against the budget. Why is this a part of the budget?

“This budget is filled with broken promises made by Democrats to the citizens when they passed the massive new $52 BILLION gas and car tax; it takes gas and car tax money that is supposed to go to roads, highways and bridges to pay for recruiting lifeguards, park rangers and state park maintenance and local park operations to name just a few examples.”