PANAROMA CITY, Calif., Aug. 7, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- For the seventh time in the past 10 years, the California state legislature has failed to meet its Constitutional responsibility to pass a state budget by June 30. The proposed $145 billion FY 2007-08 budget is the largest state budget ever proposed and $46 billion more than FY 2000-01 - a 33% jump in spending compared with an 11 percent increase in population during the same period. That's an increase of more than a $1,200 for every man, woman and child in the state.
Kevin Takenaga, chair of the Libertarian Party of California, today issued the following statement:
"There's a saying that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing, the same way, over and over, but expecting a different result each time. Republicans and Democrats have been doing the same thing year after year with respect to the California state budget. Yet, for some inexplicable reason, they expect things will be different. Well, they're not. Our budget crisis continues to spiral out of control.
"The budget is continually late for one simple reason: the legislature is spending too much money. A smaller budget that funds fewer state programs, services and government employees would mean less to haggle over. Unfortunately, the Democrats see no limit to the amount of money government should spend, while Republicans have been just as willing to kowtow to special interests and the spending lobby.
"The are four things that can be done to solve the budget problem.
"The first is to go back to a part-time legislature. With less time on their hands, legislators would have to focus on the most important issues facing California. They will be less able to impose nanny state legislation that has rung up untold millions in regulatory and enforcement costs.
"The second is to adopt a zero-based budgeting approach, which would force legislators to justify funding their pet projects each year.
"The third thing is to begin to undo the Constitutional spending mandates that lock in the majority of the budget and give legislators relatively little flexibility to adjust spending priorities.
"The fourth, and most important solution, is to elect fiscally responsible Libertarians. To keep sending the same spendthrift Republicans and Democrats to Sacramento is just crazy."
About the Libertarian Party of California
The Libertarian Party of California has more than 50 public officeholders statewide. It also publishes the weekly Libertarian Perspective, an op-ed column authored by writers who strongly believe in freedom and individual liberty. Libertarians are socially tolerant and fiscally responsible, believe in personal freedom in both social and economic spheres, and in government small enough to protect those freedoms. For more information, visit the party's Website at www.ca.lp.org.