Assemblymember Brownley Hosts Weekend Budget Workshop at SMC

By Jason Islas
Special to the Lookout

June 10, 2011 -- State Assemblymembers Julia Brownley and Betsy Butler plan to ask locals “How will you balance the budget?” at a California state budget workshop at Santa Monica College's Bundy campus Saturday morning.

“I’ve attended one of these workshops,” Brownley told The Lookout Wednesday. “It’s a fascinating hands-on exercise in how you would balance the state’s budget.”

Sarah Henry, Program Director at Next 10, the nonpartisan organization facilitating Saturday's workshop, echoed Brownley, adding that “this is not a poll. It's an exercise.”

“Unlike the Federal government, California can’t run a deficit. The state constitution mandates that our budget must be balanced every year, so it’s all about setting priorities and making some very hard choices,” Brownley said.

The Budget Challenge asks California residents to make those hard choices.

People will be asked to study the options available to policy makers and then, using the simulator, vote on what actions they would take to balance the budget, Henry said.

They'll be asked enter their zip code and then they'll be introduced to some basic information about California's budget, including a pie chart that breaks down the state's expenses and income, she said.

After that, participants will be walked through a list of the main policy options that are currently being discussed in Sacramento.

The simulator asks questions like “How much should California spend per K-12 student?” and “Should California raise or lower the income tax?”

“It's Budget 101,” Henry said. “It's about understanding the choices.” She went on to say that according to a Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) poll, only 6 percent of Californians could identify K-12 as California's biggest expense and income tax as its main source of income.

The online Budget Challenge also allows participants to take action by giving them an option to send an e-mail to their assembly member specifically concerning the issues about which they feel strongly.

Henry said that since California started using the Budget Challenge tool in 2006, they've seen a lot of success. In the last 12 months, there have been about 100 meetings like the one planned for Saturday, she said.

Brownley is optimistic. “People are going to enjoy this challenge,” she said.

The Budget Challenge will take place Saturday, June 11 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 noon at the SMC Bundy Campus, Room 123, 3172 South Bundy Drive. Space is limited, so participants are asked to RSVP by calling (310) 450-0041. For those who cannot attend this Saturday, the Budget Challenge is available online at www.budgetchallenge.org. For more information visit Brownley's website at www.asmdc.org/brownley.