By Mollie Culver, California Democratic Party political director.
On Monday, Democratic legislators in the State Senate unveiled their budget proposal.
Their budget joins the proposal Democrats in the State Assembly already submitted. Both proposals would balance California’s books without sacrificing protections for workers, consumers, or the environment.
Both proposals would also preserve essential elements of our safety net for people who have fallen on hard times.
Sounds good, right? Needless to say, we expect Republicans to stand in unified opposition to these responsible budget proposals.
That’s where you come in.
In a perfect world, a few Republican legislators would come to their senses and choose to do the right thing for California.
But if history is any guide, we sure shouldn’t expect it — so a public statement from every Republican about why they’d rather hold us all hostage than help govern our state is crucial.
That’s why the first step to rescuing the 2010 California budget is for everyday Californians like you to call Republican legislators and clearly get them on the record – one way or the other — so all Californians know where they stand.
Will you call a Republican legislator today and urge them to tell us where they stand on the Democratic budget proposals? See below for a grid of our progress and instructions for how to make your call, then report what the Republican you called says by leaving a message in the comments to this thread.
It’s unfortunate that it has to come to this, but this is what it takes to pass a budget when a “superminority” of just over 1/3 can hold an entire state hostage.
Fortunately, this year there’s something you can do about it.
Making calls is easy, and once you’ve called one Republican, you’ll probably want to call a couple more. See below to get started.
Get a Republican On the Record About the Budget
  1. Select a Republican who hasn’t given a statement yet from one of the grids below.
  2. Call the Republican’s office and say something like this:
You: Hi, my name is [your name], and I’m calling to ask if [Republican’s name] is planning on supporting the budget Democrats have released in [Republican’s chamber — Assembly or Senate].
Them: No.
You: Can you tell me why [Republican] would rather hold out than support the Democrats’ budget?
Them: [Explanation]
  3. Post a comment below reporting who you called and what they said.
That’s it!
| Republican Assembly Member | District | Phone number | Plans to vote yes or no? | Statement they gave you |
| Anthony Adams | 59th District – Claremont | (916) 319-2059 | ||
| Joel Anderson | 77th District – El Cajon | (916) 319-2077 | ||
| Bill Berryhill | 26th District – Stockton | (916) 319-2026 | ||
| Tom Berryhill | 25th District – Modesto | (916) 319-2025 | ||
| Sam Blakeslee | 33rd District – San Luis Obispo | (916) 319-2033 | ||
| Connie Conway | 34th District – Visalia | (916) 319-2034 | Hasn’t decided yet | Needs follow-up |
| Paul Cook | 65th District – Yucaipa | (916) 319-2065 | ||
| Chuck DeVore | 70th District – Irvine | (916) 319-2070 | ||
| Nathan Fletcher | 75th District – San Diego | (916) 319-2075 | Hasn’t decided yet | “Will probably suggest changes.” Needs follow-up |
| Jean Fuller | 32nd District – Bakersfield | (916) 319-2032 | ||
| Ted Gaines | 4th District – Roseville | (916) 319-2004 | ||
| Martin Garrick | 74th District – Carlsbad | (916) 319-2074 | ||
| Danny D. Gilmore | 30th District – Hanford | (916) 319-2030 | ||
| Curt Hagman | 60th District – Chino Hills | (916) 319-2060 | ||
| Diane L. Harkey | 73rd District – Oceanside | (916) 319-2073 | ||
| Kevin Jeffries | 66th District – Murrieta | (916) 319-2066 | ||
| Steve Knight | 36th District – Palmdale | (916) 319-2036 | ||
| Dan Logue | 3rd District – Chico | (916) 319-2003 | ||
| Jeff Miller | 71st District – Mission Viejo | (916) 319-2071 | ||
| Brian Nestande | 64th District – Riverside | (916) 319-2064 | ||
| Roger Niello | 5th District – Sacramento | (916) 319-2005 | ||
| Jim Nielsen | 2nd District – Redding | (916) 319-2002 | ||
| Chris Norby | 72nd District – Brea | (916) 319-2072 | ||
| Jim Silva | 67th District – Huntington Beach | (916) 319-2067 | ||
| Cameron Smyth | 38th District – Santa Clarita | (916) 319-2038 | Hasn’t decided yet | “We don’t want to hold up the budget again this year.” Needs follow-up. |
| Audra Strickland | 37th District – Westlake Village | (916) 319-2037 | ||
| Van Tran | 68th District – Costa Mesa | (916) 319-2068 | ||
| Michael N. Villines | 29th District – Fresno | (916) 319-2029 |
| Republican Senator | District | Phone number | Plans to vote yes or no? | Statement they gave you |
| Dennis Hollingsworth | 36th District – Temecula, El Cajon | (916) 651-4036 | ||
| Sam Aanestad | 4th District – Nevada City, Chico, Redding | (916) 651-4004 | ||
| Roy Ashburn | 18th District – Bakersfield | (916) 651-4018 | ||
| Dave Cogdill | 14th District – Fresno, Ripon | (916) 651-4014 | ||
| Dave Cox | 1st District – Roseville, Jackson, Quincy | (916) 651-4001 | ||
| Jeff Denham | 12th District – Merced, Modesto, Salinas | (916) 651-4012 | Qualified no | “Sen. Denham is opposed to the Dem budget proposals.” Likes the 1/3 rule. |
| Robert Dutton | 31st District – Rancho Cucamonga, Riverside | (916) 651-4031 | ||
| Bill Emmerson | 37th District – Riverside, Palm Desert | (916) 651-4037 | ||
| Tom Harman | 35th District – Costa Mesa | (916) 651-4035 | ||
| Bob Huff | 29th District – Walnut | (916) 651-4029 | ||
| George Runner | 17th District – Antelope Valley, Victorville, Santa Clarita | (916) 651-4017 | ||
| Tony Strickland | 19th District – Simi Valley, Santa Barbara | (916) 651-4019 | ||
| Mimi Walters | 33rd District – Laguna Hills | (916) 651-4033 | ||
| Mark Wyland | 38th District – San Juan Capistrano, Carlsbad | (916) 651-4038 |
Just called Nathan Fletcher’s office. The dude who answered, Nick, said that it’s a pretty big budget and they’re still going through it and will probably suggest some changes, but haven’t decided yet.
They said they’d email me more information when they can though, so we’ll see.
Not an out-and-out NO, though.
steve
I spoke to a staffer. She said that Assemblyman Smythe has not had time to review the budget proposal.
Her commemment “We don’t want to hold up the budget again this year.
I can’t believe in seven years nobody conceived the strategy to ask Republicans where they stand. Not only will this guarantee a good budget, but we’ll surely meet the June 15th Constitutional Deadline.
Repeal the commercial part of Prop 13 from 1978…
While I don’t get why the CDP is only starting this long after the Constitutional Deadline to pass the budget, I am relieved that after only seven years of failure the CDP has finally come up with the brilliant strategy of asking the GOP where they stand. Democrats need not worry, we’re in good hands.
My Rep in Sacramento Connie Conway(One of Her people there, So far It’s:
“Hasn’t decided yet” on the yes or no column.
And that’s all that I can remember. So someone can add that to the above list.
My Assemblymember is Dave Jones. The Republicans from surrounding areas are constantly “on the record” about everything. You cannot get them to shut up.
We need for the Democrats to start talking. Speaker Perez has made a good start by talking about the “jobs budget.” I hope Senator Steinberg can learn from him.
Mollie Culver is one of the best things to happen to the CDP in years. She’s worked her tail off to support candidates that would not have gotten so much as a phone call from the state party in years gone by.
I don’t have a Republican representative in Sacramento–on either side of the capital building. And my experience is that nobody wants to hear from voters from outside their district. But surely more Calitics readers than this must live in Republican-represented districts. I think you should call if you do. It’s about time the GOP knew we’re watching what they do with our money and our state–like wrecking it!
Being a Progressive from the Inland Empire, a conservative bastion that Regressives try to make OC-lite, I am inclined to believe in statements made by Bob. What’s the use of making these calls? The Regressives out here in the IE are truly Conservative and proud of it!! The only elected Democrats are those damned Blue Dogs that are really DINOs (see Joe Baca, Josie Gonzalez, Gloria Negrette-Mcleod, and Patrick Morris) in Progressive clothing. I don’t see any usefulness in getting Robert Huff or Paul Cook on record when these areas are gerrymandered conservative bastions to begin with.
Our county may be blue but that was because of the hard work of OFA during the Obama campaign that is now largely a shell of its former self. In addition, we have a robust Tea Party to deal with. But we do have opportunity!!! Most of the ’08 registration was in the High Desert which should help the 36th candidate and a bonified Tea Partier/Minuteman in the 59th. I could give a sh** about making the budget calls!! A full blown ground game is what’s needed! Neighbor to Neigbor, phonebanking, registration efforts, and Progressive Unity; this is what wins elections!!
Our Central Committee is still wondering when we are getting MOE from the CDP, but I know they will not come through. I don’t rely on the establishment because they are busy protecting seats. And that’s OK!
We are the Bastard Democrats of the Inland Empire who are Agressively Progressive and ready to kick some a** and take some names.
Equality, Sacrifice, Common Good
Woman named Jan in his office said Sen. Denham is opposed to the Dem budget proposals. She quickly amended that to say he would not have a position until a final proposal is put forward.
Extra credit: Jan has no problem with 1/3 of the Senate being able to block any budget or revenue increases. She doesn’t want her taxes to go up. Sounded pretty dug in on that position.
Disclosure– my son does some consulting for the CDP.
There was the worthlessness of the original action, the repeated, attempts to censor, and the fact the budget expires in a few hours and the CDP has done nothing else.
But how did something so embarrassing for the CDP come to happen?
It may have gone down like this….
Whoops, they did it again. Here’s the video they don’t want you to see: