FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 23, 2011
Assemblymember Olsen Sends Letter to Constituents Regarding the Budget and Critical Reforms
Says Legislature, Governor Should Focus on Jobs and Reforms, Not Higher Taxes
SACRAMENTO – Today, Assemblymember Kristin Olsen, R-Modesto, sent an open letter to her constituents in the 25th Assembly District, discussing the budget and outlining her priorities.
In her letter, Olsen says that raising taxes is the wrong direction when so many people are out of work and struggling to make ends meet. Olsen urges the Governor and the Legislature to focus on pension reform and an economic recovery plan to bring back private sector jobs and get people working again.
The full text of Assemblymember Olsen’s letter is below:
Dear Community Members,
Every day, I learn more about how enormous the challenge is to resolve a $26 Billion deficit. It will take courage and determination. Tough decisions will need to be made.
We can get back to the days when our state used to be the envy of the nation, when people dreamed of coming here to start new businesses and raise their families. We can get there if we to remember to get back to basics.
We need to set priorities – fund the core services of government and work to create jobs in California.
When I was on the Modesto City Council, we went through the painful task of cutting millions of dollars from our budget. It wasn’t easy, but we knew it had to be done for the fiscal health and long-term stability of our community. We also put policies in place to help our local economy grow and have our city poised for opportunities when the market turns around.
Sacramento is no different.
We need to take a comprehensive approach that addresses the root of our economic problems, rather than just the symptoms. Unless we reform government in ways that will lead to new jobs and economic growth, we are simply putting a Band-Aid or temporary fix on our budget problem.
How can we in good conscience say taxes are the answer when over 12,000 homes are in foreclosure in Assembly District 25 and over 300,000 homes statewide? How can we ask people to pay more of their hard-earned money to government when so many can’t even afford to pay their mortgage – their most important asset?
How can we in good conscience say taxes are the answer when we haven’t done anything to reform our out-of-control pension system? According to one study, California has a $500 billion unfunded pension liability. That is five times more than the state’s current general fund. Every dollar that the state spends on pensions is one less dollar for classrooms, roads and police.
How can we in good conscience say taxes are the answer when we haven’t put in place a plan to create jobs? We do need to grow revenues in California but we need to do so by putting people back to work. One way to spur job creation is by lifting the regulatory burden and litigious environment on employers.
If we continue to tax and spend, we will only get more of the same. We need reforms.
In its current form, the Governor’s budget doesn’t contain any reforms to pensions or to grow our economy and lower our unemployment rate.
If Governor Brown wants to let people vote on whether to tax themselves, then he should also let them vote on important reforms like a spending cap, pension reform, and regulatory reforms that will create jobs.
I am committed to working with my Republican and Democrat colleagues to find and propose solutions so that our children and grandchildren can have the same opportunities we have had.
They deserve great schools, safe neighborhoods, and the opportunity to get a good job.
We need businesses to once again see California as a place they can grow and where the entrepreneurial spirit can thrive. That is how we’re going to get more jobs in our communities so that we can take better care of our families.
This is my vision for our state but I want to hear from you. I have already received emails and phone calls from constituents sharing their stories on how they can’t afford to pay higher taxes and other constituents who say they believe raising taxes is the only answer. Please contact me if you have input or ideas to share.
We have a lot of hard work ahead of us, but if we all work together as Californians, I know we can get the job done.
Sincerely,
Kristin Olsen
Assemblymember, District 25
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