(As part of our policy of “Right of Response,” we offer this opinion from Jay Hansen, Legislative Director, State Building & Construction Trades Council, AFL-CIO. – promoted by Calitics Editorial Board)

There has been discussion on these pages recently in relation to Props 1A-1E, calling on Legislators to come up with an alternative “May 20 strategy”.  However, such calls are both politically unrealistic and fail to acknowledge the significant gains our Democratic legislators accomplished in this past year’s budget and in putting Props 1A-1E on the ballot.

True, there is something for everyone to dislike about this budget. Healing a $40+ billion deficit while dealing with the tyranny of a 2/3 budget requirement inherently means that any budget will have to be about compromises. Until our flawed system is changed, these are the rules we must operate under.

But the fact is that this budget deal – and Props 1A-1E by extension – represent a compromise that upholds essential Democratic values and programs while putting in place a budget system that will stabilize spending over the long term to ensure we have savings to stave off the deepest of cuts during future recessions. In short, it could have been a lot worse and if these measures don’t pass, rest assured it will be.

We cannot ignore that, for the first time in a long time, this budget brings in more than $30 billion in new revenues to our state to fund vital services and protect against even more draconian cuts. And let’s be clear: there are no more tax increases where these came from – there will only be budget cuts regardless of the severity.

So instead of lamenting about some ill-defined “new solution” that’s both politically and practically infeasible, members of the Democratic Party need to rally behind our leadership and support Props 1A-1E.  Passing Props 1A-1E is our May 20 strategy. It’s as simple as that.

The reality is that without these reforms the state is right back to where it was with a monumental deficit that threatened people’s quality of life. In fact, given the change of Senate Republican leadership, without Props 1A-1E, next years’ budget will be monumentally worse and crippling to the programs and services Democrats care most about.

If these initiatives do not pass, the Republican minority, already entrenched in their beliefs against taxes at all costs, will be empowered by the belief that these measures failed on the premise that Californians do not want more taxes. The minority party will rally behind their calls for further, crippling cuts with no revenues and the state government will be in another stalemate without an end in sight.  Additionally, the spending cap proposals will become more and more onerous and in all likelihood an outside third party will run a ballot initiative on their own capitalizing on the anger of everyday Californians.

We just need to look back four months to remember what a prolonged budget standoff cost our state and its hard-working families. Tens of thousands of our members in the construction trades saw their jobs on the line as construction projects were near shut-down due to the state’s financial dysfunction.  Tens of thousands of public employees were being furloughed.  Seniors, kids and lower income were at risk of losing services.  Small businesses that provide services and goods to the state were being shunned.  Taxpayers nearly had refund checks delayed.

So instead of more revenue being pumped into our state as well as a comprehensive budget system to protect from significant deficits in the future, without Props 1A-1E California will be left with a gaping hole in the budget and an empowered minority party.  This is not fear-mongering, but an honest assessment of the current situation.

The simple fact is that this budget was difficult. This budget was not pretty. But under very difficult circumstances our Democratic leaders negotiated what is the best political deal they could. And Props 1A-1E need to be ratified to protect us against something far worse.