Quote of the Day:
D. Sanchez on GOP QEIA flim-flam
“You can’t say you are saving education funding by taking away money from education funding. That’s subtraction, it’s a 2nd grade standard.”

Our presence has had an effect, even though Republicans have tried to pretend it was “business as usual”. Today they responded, by sharing a budget proposal that is, as they say, a day late and more than a dollar short.

Here are but a few of the atrocities contained in the document:

• Elimination of QEIA funding —
  QEIA was based on a legal settlement to make up money that was taken away and not repaid before.
• It shaves 20 percent from state agencies and employees to save a billion —
  Thanks for saving education, but I really don’t want to wait 3 months to get my car registration processed, thank you!
• $3 billion by adopting cuts to health, welfare and library services —
  Okay for folks working in high poverty areas, this is TRULY robbing Peter to pay Paul, and is just WRONG!
• Republicans also want to take a couple billion from Prop 10’s early childhood health fund and Prop 63’s mental health fund.
  — Voters would have to approve the shift, so we are once again playing kick the can

This is ridiculous.  The Republicans need to stop passing the buck, and pony up. To that end, some of the members of our group chose to protest and sit in by GOP legislative leaders offices (who came up with this proposal) until a reasonable proposal was forthcoming. Some were arrested tonight for this.

Tomorrow is another day, and will have other actions. Most activity will center around rallies throughout the state (including outside the Capitol).  For those concerned because of the civil disobedience activities tonight, the rally will be a family friendly event. The actions taken tonight focused on a specific time, place, and had specific participants who understood what they were undertaking. The rally will be about unity, and making a statement about education and fiscal responsibility. Join us!