Board of Equalization Member George Runner Says a Budget Without Jobs Won’t Work

Board of Equalization Member Senator George Runner today issued the following statement in response to news that Governor Jerry Brown and Democrat legislative leaders have reached a budget deal: “Governor Jerry Brown and legislative leaders are hoping for a surge in new revenues in order to avoid triggering additional budget cuts. It’s time they did more than hope. “It’s hard to imagine these numbers working when California is racing to become the nation’s unemployment leader. “We need jobs to spur revenues, but burdensome taxes, fees and regulations continue to hold back California’s economic recovery. The Governor and Legislature need to wake up to the reality that their economic policies are destroying California’s competitiveness. “If the Governor and Legislature want to see growth in revenues, they need to get Californians back to work. We need to bring private sector jobs back to California instead of driving them away.” Elected in November 2010, George Runner represents more than nine million Californians as a member of the State Board of Equalization. For more information, visit www.boe.ca.gov/Runner.