For the last several years, health advocates have not only worked to prevent health care cuts, but also joined with other coalitions in support of a balanced solution to the budget crisis, to consider choices beyond cuts and caps. Since the budget deficit was partially created due to the range of tax cuts made in the past decade, a balanced solution would not just make cuts, but also raise revenues, such as restoring the upper-tax brackets on high-income earners, as Governors Reagan and Wilson did.

Health advocates are continuing that effort with other "budget allies," to urge for a responsible budget solution that is balanced, and doesn't hinder the ability to meet future needs. The statement of principles below is an attempt to get organizations from different issue areas to support a broad vision and statement around the budget. The statement includes opposition to the type of spending cap that Governor Schwarzenegger is proposing.

ALERT: Have your organization endorse this broad statement on budget principles and goals, so we may have it by the May revision of the budget, on May 13th, 2005. Please fill out and return the form below. A one page fax-back form is available at the Health Access website, at:
http://www.health-access.org/docs/BudgetAlliesStatement2005Final.doc

FIGHTING FOR CALIFORNIA'S FUTURE

We believe California’s budget should invest in California’s future:

• We believe in a California that provides high-quality public services for all Californians, protects consumers, the environment, and our quality of life, builds the infrastructure we need to prosper, and that fosters opportunity, economic growth, and strong and vibrant communities.
• We believe that a responsible California budget would keep its commitment to meet the basic needs of our children, our seniors, our families, and our future. We believe there are budget choices beyond cuts.
• We believe in a balanced budget that invests in the future, rather than one that mortgages our future with more borrowing to fill a structural budget gap.

We support a balanced solution to the budget crisis:

• We support a balanced solution to the budget crisis, rather than a budget that seeks to solve the problem only through cuts and borrowing.
• We support raising revenues needed to prevent cuts, including closing tax loopholes, eliminating some of the tax cuts of the last decade, and updating our tax system to reflect our changing economy.

We oppose automatic mechanisms to cut vital and needed services:

• We oppose policies, in the legislature and on the ballot, which would hinder the ability of the State to meet the current and future needs of all Californians.
• We oppose proposals that would grant the Governor new powers to make unilateral cuts; formulas that would impose automatic across-the-board cuts; stricter spending caps; and other policy changes that seek to "starve the public sector" and which would damage healthcare, education, and other vital services that all Californians depend on.

Click on the following link to download the Sign-On Statement:
http://www.health-access.org/docs/BudgetAlliesStatement2005Final.doc

Please return to: Budget Allies, c/o Louise Jones, Health Access, ljones@health-access.org, or Fax-back at 916-497-0921