(SACRAMENTO, CA) Assemblymember Bob Blumenfield (D-San Fernando Valley), Chair of the Assembly Budget Committee, issued the following statement in response Governor Jerry Brown introducing his budget proposal in the State Legislature today as Assembly Bill 1463. The bill contains previously unreleased details of the governor's spending plan to close a $9.2 billion budget gap.

"We have made a commitment to fiscal discipline and the governor's proposal challenges us to choose between some pretty stark options for the greater good. More than ever, the devil is in the details and the information we received today will help us understand and vet this proposal. I look forward to working with the governor to craft a budget and give the voters a true say on the future of their state. Ultimately, our state budget is not just a spending plan. It's about jobs, our economy, and a vision for California's future. That simple calculus will shape the outcome of the governor's plan in November."

A preliminary Assembly Budget Committee analysis of the proposal is available at http://abgt.assembly.ca.gov/.

Contact: Anthony Matthews, tel. (916) 319-2040