Rich Irony Redux

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                            CONTACT:  Jennifer Gibbons

March 16, 2009                                                                                                        (916) 319-2029

 

STATEMENT BY REPUBLICAN LEADER VILLINES

ON TODAY’S ASSEMBLY VOTE OF UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE LEGISLATION

 

SACRAMENTO – Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines, of Fresno, today issued the following statement in response to the vote late Monday night on legislation that would enable the state to receive a one-time payment of $839 million in Federal Stimulus dollars from Washington by expanding the eligibility for out-of-work Californians to receive unemployment insurance. 

“It was unfortunate that many Republicans could not support the unemployment insurance legislation put forward by Democrats today.  Republicans support giving out-of-work Californians who are having a difficult time finding work the extra help they need as long as it is done responsibility.  But we had very significant concerns with the measure as written and the process with the late amendments and splitting of the bill. A bill of this significance should have had more transparency.

(Emphasis added.)

(Editor’s Note: You mean like the budget enacted February 20 which increased taxes by more than $12 billion, reduced spending by more than $15 billion and was the subject of not a single public hearing? That kind of transparency?)

 “Republicans appreciate that there is great urgency to this issue, but we felt it was vital to ensure this was done right – to protect taxpayers, safeguard our economy and help hard-working Californians in need.  With so many issues left unresolved, we asked Democrats to delay a vote on the measure until Thursday so we could continue to work through these questions in a bi-partisan manner but they refused. Instead they made last minute changes to try and jam through a piece of the legislation on a majority vote to score political points. California deserves better. 

“Assembly Republicans want to engage on this important issue –  we want to get people the additional unemployment benefits they need and we want to utilize Federal stimulus dollars in a responsible way. Republicans will continue to work with Democrats to try to reach agreement on a bill that achieves those goals while ensuring taxpayers and jobs are protected.”