Since members of the CDP’s Budget Rescue Team started picking up their phones to ask Republican legislators where they stand on the Democrats’ sensible budget proposals last week, we’ve started getting some interesting responses.
Volunteer sak24 contacted Assemblyman Cameron Smyth (R-Santa Clarita)’s office, where a staffer said, “We don’t want to hold up the budget again this year.”
Although it may not sound like much, this is an admission that Republicans are used to holding up the budget and are becoming a little self-conscious about it.
This statement could end up going nowhere, or it could be the seed of a larger campaign to finally pressure the Republicans into cooperating on the budget. But the important thing is to get Republicans like Cameron Smyth on the record early and make sure they know people are watching them if they try to hold the state hostage again.
Will you call a Republican legislator today and urge them to tell us where they stand on the Democratic budget proposals? You can call any Republican in any district — see below for a grid of our progress and instructions for how to make your call. When you have their statement, report it by leaving a message in the comments to this thread or emailing [email protected]
There’s a lot working against us getting a fair budget deal, like the rule that lets a “superminority” of 1/3 plus one legislators veto any budget the majority approves. But there are some very concrete ways these calls help:
1. Maybe California can end up with a better budget. By getting Republicans on the record early, Democrats can be proactive in building our budget strategy and get Democrats and progressives the negotiating leverage we need.With Democratic budget proposals that add revenue to avoid cuts to poverty protections, and a Schwarzenegger cuts-only budget that would put an additional 430,000 people out of work, the more progress we can make here the better.
2. We can definitely build a strong case against Republicans. The past few years, Republicans have held our state hostage to their extreme anti-revenue ideology by holding up the budget. But right now, many Californians just think “the legislature” is to blame for our annual budget problems: They don’t realize the central role Republicans play
That’s not an accurate picture, and these statements will help us make the case that the budget is late again because Republicans are holding us hostage, not ‘because both sides couldn’t agree.’
3. We can definitely change things this fall. If we can educate the public on the reason our budget problems get worse every year (Republicans) and the conditions that enable it (a minority can veto the majority’s budget), we can take a Republican seat or two and pass Proposition 25 — the majority vote budget initiative.
See our easy instructions, and our progress, below and get started today!
Get a Republican On the Record About the Budget
  1. Select any 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 | No | From a mailer: “there will not be votes amongst legislative Republicans for new taxes [on oil companies extracting oil in California]” |
| 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 | Doubtful | “Dave does not support raising any taxes or fees,” but his staffer could not specifically say which programs he would cut. (from Budget Rescue Team member Gina M. via email) Update: Since this information was reported, Dave Cox has passed away. Our condolences to his family. |
| 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 |
Really, on four calls?
Even though I’m not in his district, I’m somehow on the Roger Niello mailing list. He sent a newsletter today:
“Budget Update
Unfortunately, the start of the new fiscal year is upon us and California is without a budget.
While standing by two separate budget plans for the last month, one from Senate President Pro Tempore Darrel Steinberg and another from Assembly Speaker John Perez, Democrat leaders now seem united behind the “framework” of a budget plan that includes a combination of new borrowing and taxes and opposition to reductions in government spending.
The Governor has repeatedly stated his opposition to new taxes and there will not be votes amongst legislative Republicans for new taxes and borrowing.
Last week, a memo from the Speaker to Assembly Democrats was leaked that said, “it is critical that the Democrats hold firm and not engage in any negotiation until the Governor shows signs of reciprocation.” This is certainly a disturbing message and one that, if heeded, would likely setback any budget negotiation schedule.
While there are elements of the Governor’s budget plan that are not likely to pass, the fact of the matter is that The Governor has provided the only realistic plan for a budget this year and Legislative Republicans remain united behind the Governor’s plan. The Governor’s plan reduces spending, maintains last year’s education funding levels, and closes our budget gap, all without raising taxes.”
Earth to CDP: The budget should have been passed by now. You don’t seem to care about getting this done, but you always have time to spend on passing a single-payer healthcare plan that is unfunded and won’t pass. Thank you for letting us know what your priorities are.
I think you’d get more votes and support if you got a budget passed on time. Liberals and Conservatives may be thrilled with another budget battle in Sacramento, but the mushy middle is just trying to get by. We don’t have time for this nonsense.