Edward "Ned" Dolejsi, executive director of the California Catholic Conference, issued the following statement following the Governor’s State of the State Speech and his earlier release of the 2012-2013 Proposed Budget:
“In his State of the State speech Governor Brown said California is on the mend, yet his budget proposals continue to impact the poor disproportionately. And while a slow economic recovery prolongs the fiscal pain for most Californians, the Governor’s proposed 2012-13 budget continues a multi-year trend of reducing critical services for children, the elderly, the blind, the disabled and those most in need.
“Scarce resources mean difficult choices and shared sacrifice for all who participate in our society. But too much of that sacrifice in recent years has fallen on our children. Proposals that hurt low-income children – such as reducing funding by $946 million for parents who are trying to find work or eliminating supplemental funding for Child Nutrition Program at private schools and child care centers – intensifies the struggle for families and jeopardizes our children’s welfare.
“As the California Bishops emphasized in their 2011 Budget statement, In Search of the Common Good: ‘The call for shared sacrifice will make clear that we cannot pass our fiscal burdens on to the next generation through illusory budgetary gimmicks and more borrowing, we cannot shred the safety net for our poorest sisters and brothers and we cannot deprive our children of a quality education that prepares them for an ever more complex and competitive world.’
“Governor Brown promised that his budgets would no longer contain overly optimistic assumptions and would propose ‘honest’ solutions for California and, in many ways, his proposal begins to fulfill this promise. The gradual improvement in the state’s economy highlighted in the State of the State speech is welcomed news.
“But the Golden State continues to be ill-served by proposals that target children and the neediest among us. Partisan politics from across the political spectrum continues to undermine cooperation and an inability to seriously compromise or negotiate on revenue and fair taxes leaves real solutions beyond the grasp of lawmakers. All Californians deserve better, particularly our children.
“’Shared sacrifice begins with a common hope in the untapped and still undiscovered potential of the great people of California,” said In Search of the Common Good. ‘We are the stewards of the talents and treasures given to this favored place. Let us employ the faith that can bridge the daunting political chasm before us and reawaken the California dream in the hearts of all.’”
Edward "Ned" Dolejsi, executive director of the California Catholic Conference, issued the following statement today following the Governor’s State of the State Speech and his earlier release of the 2012-2013 Proposed Budget: “In his State of the State speech Governor Brown said California is on the mend, yet his budget proposals continue to impact the poor disproportionately. And while a slow economic recovery prolongs the fiscal pain for most Californians, the Governor’s proposed 2012-13 budget continues a multi-year trend of reducing critical services for children, the elderly, the blind, the disabled and those most in need. “Scarce resources mean difficult choices and shared sacrifice for all who participate in our society. But too much of that sacrifice in recent years has fallen on our children. Proposals that hurt low-income children – such as reducing funding by $946 million for parents who are trying to find work or eliminating supplemental funding for Child Nutrition Program at private schools and child care centers – intensifies the struggle for families and jeopardizes our children’s welfare. “As the California Bishops emphasized in their 2011 Budget statement, In Search of the Common Good: ‘The call for shared sacrifice will make clear that we cannot pass our fiscal burdens on to the next generation through illusory budgetary gimmicks and more borrowing, we cannot shred the safety net for our poorest sisters and brothers and we cannot deprive our children of a quality education that prepares them for an ever more complex and competitive world.’ “Governor Brown promised that his budgets would no longer contain overly optimistic assumptions and would propose ‘honest’ solutions for California and, in many ways, his proposal begins to fulfill this promise. The gradual improvement in the state’s economy highlighted in the State of the State speech is welcomed news. “But the Golden State continues to be ill-served by proposals that target children and the neediest among us. Partisan politics from across the political spectrum continues to undermine cooperation and an inability to seriously compromise or negotiate on revenue and fair taxes leaves real solutions beyond the grasp of lawmakers. All Californians deserve better, particularly our children. “’Shared sacrifice begins with a common hope in the untapped and still undiscovered potential of the great people of California,” said In Search of the Common Good. ‘We are the stewards of the talents and treasures given to this favored place. Let us employ the faith that can bridge the daunting political chasm before us and reawaken the California dream in the hearts of all.’”
Tags: california budget • catholic social teaching • community • economy • family • human dignity • participation • social justice
