Denham Says 'Governor, Perhaps You Aren't Listening Yet?'
8/13/07

State Senator Jeff Denham (R-Merced) today responded to comments made earlier by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. In a photo-op meeting in Fresno earlier today, Schwarzenegger responded to a reporter about Denham and pressuring his budget vote: “He (Denham) should get a lot of heat.” The Governor also told those attending the meeting and listening over the web to call Senator Denham and tell him to vote for the budget.

“Governor, let me repeat myself again, since perhaps you are not listening yet,” said Senator Denham. “I will not be bullied, intimidated or pressured into voting for a budget with inflated revenues, unaccounted expenses or accounting gimmickry.”

“Stop the theatrical performances, call the Legislature into session, balance the budget, put the cuts in writing and clean up the trailer bills,” Denham continued. “Governor, playing ‘Chicken Little’ and saying the ‘sky is falling’ is not productive – instead, you should endorse my ‘Denham Amendment’ which will provide temporary funding for those in need during the budget stalemate.”

In a previous radio address by the Governor on 4/2/2005, the governor said, “ The budget system itself is broken…But the auto-pilot spending formulas would push our spending up to $93 billion - $10 billion more than we have. This is insanity. We can't have a system that says that for every extra dollar we take in, we have to spend an extra two dollars. My plan is simple. The state will not be allowed to spend more money than it takes in. Spending can go up, but it cannot exceed revenues.”

Senator Denham is following the old leadership style of the California Governor who cared about the future of this state and wanted to ensure that our children are not burdened with the debt of today.

Denham Holds Strong Against Budget Pressure
8/8/07

Newest Tactic: Pro Tem removes Denham from GO Committee

MERCED - State Senator Jeff Denham (R-Merced) has been a target over the past six weeks. In the midst of a budget campaign to get his vote to be the 27 th vote needed to pass an unbalanced budget, Denham continues to hold strong and ignore the partisan politics in the Capitol and the gimmicks brought to his district. In the latest tactic to sway Denham, Senate President pro Tem Don Perata announced through the Capitol Morning Report today that Senator Denham had been removed from the Senate Government Organization Committee effective immediately.

“The Pro Tem is desperate to get a budget deal and he thinks his latest move to kick me off the Government Organization Committee will make me fold,” said Senator Denham. “These scare tactics are only measures to try and pressure my vote. If you want me to vote for a budget, make it balanced and don’t repeal the teacher’s tax credit, for starters.”

On the eve of the final June budget vote, someone started floating Denham’s name to reporters that he was the 27 th vote, which was not accurate. Once Denham voted no, a string of other events occurred. Three education press conferences in his district and one nursing home press conference were designed to put pressure on Denham to vote yes for the Assembly’s unbalanced budget. However, it backfired and Denham continued to pick through the budget line by line to find any waste that could be removed.

Then slowly in two of his counties in the 12 th district, automated phone banks cranked up and phony recall signs started popping up on private property without the permission of the property owners. Of course, the owners of these signs and phone calls would not show their identities only proving their lack of creditability and the fact that these were just sore losers from the previous election where Senator Denham beat Wiley Nickel by a landslide. Only recently, did the Democratic State Central Committee of California file a late independent expenditure report for $11,112.50 showing they paid for these campaign tactics. The Democrats have now gone on record with the Sacramento Bee’s Capitol Alert saying this campaign was “not a serious recall effort, that this was more about getting Denham’s vote.”

“I have worked well with Senator Perata in the past on statewide and district issues such as the Oakland school bailout or the Peterson trial reimbursement money,” Denham concluded. “I look forward to resuming a positive working relationship with him once these budget hostilities have ceased.”

Denham Offers Budget Amendment to Pay State Vendors & Programs
8/2/07

SACRAMENTO - Senator Jeff Denham (R-Merced) offered a budget amendment to Assembly Bill 207 on Wednesday evening to make state payments to vendors who provide goods and services until a state budget is passed. Unfortunately, the amendment failed when the Senate Democrats refused to waive the rules on this measure. AB 207 would have appropriated $10 billion to the State Controller to pay state expenses, excluding salaries and per diem of Members of the Legislature for the period of July 1 through August 20, 2007.

“My Colleagues and I have received calls from some of our constituents that have expressed a need for temporary funding soon,” said Senator Denham. “Our efforts to provide those funds were defeated by the Democrats.”

The Republicans were united Wednesday to bring forward an interim funding mechanism for those who may be financially affected by the budget delay.

The State Controller claims he can not release state resources to pay some state related expenses during the budget delay, which can not be resolved until the Democrats decide to return to the budget negotiation table.

“I want to reassure Californians that the Republicans are ready, willing and able to continue negotiations when the Democrats decide to return to the Capitol,” concluded Denham.

Denham Responds to Day 24 of Budget Stalemate
7/24/07

"Does Not Appreciate Partisan Press Conferences Aimed at Pressuring Votes for Unbalanced Budget"

SACRAMENTO - State Senator Jeff Denham (R-Merced) today continued to discuss the problems in Senate Bill 77, the proposed 2007-2008 State Budget. Denham wants the proposed budget to be balanced, but will not support cuts to K-12 education funding. Denham will also not support any tax hikes. However, he is willing to work with both Democrats and Republicans to achieve a balanced budget.

“My goal is to have a balanced budget,” said Senator Denham. “It is not fair to the people of California for their Legislators to vote in favor of a budget that only increases the State’s debt. A budget like this would force cuts to education next year. And, I do not support that.”

This morning Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell called Senator Denham to apologize for the partisan tone of press conferences being held by some education leaders that he was scheduled to participate in. Senator Denham is happy to work with Superintendent O’Connell on this budget. However, he does not appreciate unproductive partisan press conferences held in his district aimed to pressure him to vote in favor of a bad, unbalanced budget.

On Friday July 20, Senator Denham, along with 13 of his Republican colleagues in the Senate, voted no on SB 77. The proposed budget bill failed to garner the necessary 27 votes (2/3’s of the 40 member Senate) and was held on the Senate Floor by a 25-14 vote. The proposed budget is out of balance by at least $699 million. If the budget is passed in its current form, California will face operating deficits next year that exceed $5 billion and will continue to climb each year.

“It’s unconscionable to take away the teacher’s tax credit, particularly given that part of the budget proposal would also give tax breaks to Hollywood moguls and airline companies,” Senator Denham continued. “However, there are several areas of pork that could be cut.”

Some areas of waste that could be eliminated or reduced include the Cannery Business Park (Sacramento) replacement furniture for $1 million and the Labor Union Institute at UCLA, which would receive $6 million. Another waste of money is to give the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency $4 million, which spends its time discouraging homeowners from keeping their properties fire safe. The UC Mexico facility in Mexico City should not receive $7 million in this budget.

“The Mexican government should actually owe California for the money we spend to educate, incarcerate and provide health services for illegal immigrants,” Denham concluded. “This state also provides Mexico with water. California should not spend $7 million on this facility in Mexico City. The State should be focused on funding education for children who live in California.”

Senator Denham is also open to the University of California and California State University systems paying back taxpayers for the millions of dollars wasted the last few years on secret pay hikes, bonuses and housing allowances (such as $30,000 for a dog run) for executives.