Gov. Schwarzenegger Interview
Gov. Schwarzenegger appeared on Tom Sullivan’s radio program earlier today to discuss California budget negotiations.
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Transcript after the jump
TOM - GOVERNOR, HOW ARE YOU?
GOV. - WE ARE IN OUR BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS AND TRYING TO GET IT DONE – IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DONE BY JUNE 15, THEN BY JUNE 30… OUR CURRENT NEGOTIATIONS WENT PRETTY WELL, WE WORKED THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND… TOMORROW WE CONTINUE NEGOTIATIONS AND WE’RE VERY WELL ON OUR WAY, BUT SOME ISSUES ARE STILL OUTSTANDING…
TOM – YOU TRIED TO REFORM THE FINANCIAL PROBLEMS IN CALIFORNIA YEARS AGO AND THEY SHOUTED “NO” TO YOU – IT SEEMS LIKE YOU’RE BEING TOUGHER NOW THAN YOU WERE THEN
GOV. – IT APPEARS THAT WAY, BUT THE WHOLE WORLD HAS LOST A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WEALTH – WE’VE HAD A DROP IN REVENUES… ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU DON’T HAVE THE MONEY FOR THE GROWTH, EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE, PRISONS AND OTHER IMPORTANT PROGRAMS… THE WAY I WAS NEGOTIATING A FEW YEARS AGO WOULDN’T SOLVE THE PROBLEM. IT’S TOUGHER TODAY SO I HAVE TO GET TOUGHER… I HAVE TO PUSH BACK REALLY HARD HERE… $26B DEFICIT – WE HAVE TO USE THIS OPPORUTNITY TO ADDRESS FRAUD AND ABUSE IN STATE GOV’T…
TOM – IN THE PAST COMPROMISES WERE LIKE WHAT I CALL “JELLO ACCOUNTING” – IT SEEMS DISINGENUOUS.. WILL YOU BE BORROWING FROM THE FUTURE?
GOV. – YOU HAVE TO DO SOME OF THAT – WHEN I CAME INTO OFFICE I HAD TO BORROW TO PAY DEBT FROM THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION… WE WENT ON AND ECONOMY CAME BACK AND WE CREATED JOBS, NOW WE’RE IN ANOTHER BUDGET CRISIS… THE IMPORTANT THING IS TO DO AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE AND MAKE NECESSARY CUTS … THERE ARE THINGS YOU WOULDN’T BELIEVE — THE AMOUNT OF RIPOFF FOR INSTANCE IN HOME SERVICES… ATTORNEYS ARE DOING INVESTIGATIONS AND FINDING THINGS TO MAKE YOUR HAIR STAND UP… WHEN WE DO THOSE REFORMS IT WILL SAVE A BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR… I THINK WE CAN DO MUCH BETTER …
TOM – CALWORKS DID WORK AND CLINTON SIGNED IT INTO LAW, SO WHAT’S THE ARGUMENT NOW? CALIFORNIA NEVER STEPPED UP…
GOV. – THERE’S A BELIEF YOU SHOULD PUSH PEOPLE TO GET A JOB, OR GET AN EDUCATION, OR DO COMMUNTIY WORK, OR GET ON THE JOB TRAINING… WE’RE TRYING TO IMPLEMENT THAT SO PEOPLE HAVE TO DO THE INTERVIEWS, AND SEE THEIR SOCIAL WORKERS, AND TALK ABOUT THEIR PROGRESS TO GO OUT AND GET A JOB… THEY WANT TO PARTICIPATE AND MAKE MONEY OR THEIR FAMILIES… CALIFORNIA HAS DONE A LOUSY JOB OF MOTIVATING PEOPLE.. MOST STATES CUT OFF ENTIRE FAMILY — IN CALIFORNIA WE DON’T DO THAT, WE CUT OFF THE ADULTS BUT WE DON’T CUT OFF THE CHILDREN – THEY STILL RECEIVE MONEY SO THERE’S NOT THAT MUCH OF A MOTIVATOR THERE TO GET A JOB…
TOM – STRUCTURAL BUDGET REFORM IS NEEDED…
GOV. – WE’RE NOT JUST CUTTING PROGRAMS THIS YEAR – WHEN YOU CHANGE THE PROGRAMS AND RULES, YOU CREATE STRUCTUAL CHANGE … WE’LL SAVE A BILLION IN HOME SEVICES AND A BILLION IN WELFARE PROGRAMS… PRISON REFORM , EDUCATION… THE KEY THING IS WE WANT TO GET THE BUDGET DONE BUT NOT SIGN ANYTHING THAT RAISES TAXES, ABUSES GOV’T OR DOESN’T CUT IN A SERIOUS WAY…
TOM – ALL THE BEST…
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