We need Revenues!!!  Keep the American Dream Alive!
On November 16, 2011, the Legislative Analysts Office released their forecast for revenues projected for the June final budget.  Turns out that the state is $3.7 billion below the projected $4 billion in revenues, which will result in a $13 billion budget deficit come January 10, 2012 due to an already projected $10 billion shortfall for Fiscal Year 12-13. 
In the June 2011 final budget, there were trigger cuts that depended on the $4 billion revenue projection due by December 15th.  Since the state did not implement an action plan to raise revenues to avoid trigger cuts, over $2.5 billion devastating cuts will take place to In-Home Support Services, UC, CSU and community colleges (for community colleges a $10 unit fee hike), disability services, child care, K-12 education (reducing the school year by seven classroom days, which will be enacted on February 1, 2012) etc.
We need Revenues!  Our families and students can no longer survive with our bare bones safety net that has been cut more than $15 billion since 2008.  On December 15, 2011 at 11am, SIREN and other community based organizations will gather in front of the State Building at Paseo de San Antonio to hear about the impact that the chipping away of our safety net has had on our community. Together, we will urge our state legislatures to support revenue solutions such as higher income taxes for the upper income brackets, requiring corporations to pay their fair share, and coming to the table to discuss other possibilities rather than digging the “no tax” heels in and allowing our communities to bare the brunt!
For more information regarding the December 15th event, “Tax the 1%, Rebuild our State” please contact Lucila Ortiz at (408) 453-3003 ext. 111 or Lucila@siren-bayarea.org.