How did we get here?
The economy is bad, but that is not the only reason for the problem.  With the real estate market, foreclosures, and all the other bad economic news, revenues are less than expected.  But California would not be in trouble if legislators had faced our recurring budget problems with real, long-term solutions.

This problem has been years in the making.  For years, politicians - and the public - have not faced the tough decisions about actually paying for the services and infrastructure we expect and demand.  Instead we borrowed and shifted funds around, which allowed us to stay in denial for far too long.  Instead of dealing with the problem in previous years, the legislature borrowed billions and shifted transportation and local government funds to pay for services.  Our political leaders have done this year after year, causing the problem to balloon into today's crisis.
 
California cannot borrow any more money and we are now using the last of our deficit bonds.

Where do we go from here?
We need to demand that our legislators stand up for the things we depend on for a good quality of life and a better future:

• Schools;
• Healthcare;
• Parks;
• Higher Education;
• Law Enforcement;
• Taking responsibility for the elderly, people with disabilities, foster children and others who need help.

Ask your legislator…What is his or her plan to prevent these cuts that will hurt our communities?