The state budget situation is looking grim, State Sen. Jeff
Denham said Monday during a local visit.
HOLLISTER
The state budget situation is looking grim, State Sen. Jeff Denham said Monday during a local visit.
Denham, whose district includes San Benito County, stopped by the Free Lance for an interview and also gave a speech at the Hollister Rotary Club. The Merced Republican touched on a variety of state issues, but he said the big topic in 2008 will “definitely” be the budget.
This summer, Denham drew heavy criticism from state politicians, including Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, for his refusal to support the budget, which the senator called “unbalanced.” Now, state Democrats are gathering signatures in hopes of bringing a recall election against Denham to the ballot in 2008. Denham, however, pointed to reports that the state is facing a $10 billion deficit and said he stands by his vote.
“I wish I’d been wrong,” Denham told the Free Lance. “But it wasn’t rocket science to see this deficit was on its way.”
Recall organizers have said that by holding out on the budget, Denham reneged on campaign promises to emphasize bipartisanship and cooperation. But Denham argued that his budget stance was actually a defense of education spending.
“We could have made some very easy decisions,” he said. “Now the governor is talking about 10 percent reductions across the board.”
Denham said he has never voted for a cut in education spending and that he doesn’t intend to start now.
“This is supposed to be the year of education,” he said.
Denham said he plans to introduce a number of bills in January that could improve the budget process, including forcing the Legislature to stay in session around the clock once the June 15 budget deadline passes and docking legislators’ pay until the budget is approved. He also said there are a number of ways to cut waste from the budget, including the sale of San Quentin State Prison and reduced funding for the CalWORKs welfare program.
As for the recall, Denham said it won’t affect the way he votes.
“All I’m asking is that people give me a fair shake,” he said. “Visit my Web site, www.joinwithjeff.com, and get my side.”
Jeff Denham, in his own words
On water: “We’re a lot closer to reaching a compromise (on a $9 billion water infrastructure bond). … I would say that for San Benito County, the biggest issue we need to deal with is water. Probably the areas that are going to be hit the hardest are this county and the west side of the Central Valley.”
On health care: “My overall view is that the economy is on a downswing right now, and if there are more taxes, the economy will slip even further. … Everybody should be covered with some kind of catastrophic insurance, but if you’re 19-years-old and in perfect health, I don’t think the government should necessarily mandate full coverage.”
On immigration: “It isn’t a state issue. It absolutely should not be a state issue. Unfortunately, it may have to be, if the federal government doesn’t reach an agreement. … I think it starts with securing our borders. I think it also involves having a federal I.D. system, and it has to include a guest worker program. Our economy in San Benito County and ‘ag’ in California would be destroyed if it did not.”
