SACRAMENTO - Assemblywoman Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) released the following statement on the state budget signed by Governor Brown late Wednesday night, exposing the harmful impact the budget will have on the average taxpayer, schools, and public safety, while also criticizing the lack of openness and transparency by the majority party throughout the budget process.

"With this new budget, the majority party Democrats continue down the road of overspending and misusing the tax dollars of hardworking Californians.  Instead of a fiscally responsible plan that prioritizes educating our children and keeping our communities safe, this budget increases spending by more than $10 billion with generous welfare benefits and handouts for special interests like public employee unions.

"The increased spending depends upon the lofty projection that already overtaxed Californians will vote to raise their own taxes on the ballot this November by $47 billion - largely due to the threat of $5.9 billion in cuts to education if voters do not comply.  This is a lazy and despicable political scare tactic, and I am confident the people of California will not be bullied.

"On top of this, the majority party passed an empty shell bill on the budget deadline two weeks ago in order to continue receiving their own paychecks.  Only now was the substance added and voted upon.  Republicans in the legislature, not to mention the taxpayers of this state, have largely been kept in the dark throughout this budget process - with less than 24 hours to read and analyze many of the bills.  The taxpayers of California are rightly fed up and deserve an open and transparent process from their fulltime, 'professional' legislature - not one of gimmicks and games that results in a budget that grossly misuses the peoples' hard-earned tax dollars."

Assemblywoman Grove, R-Bakersfield, proudly serves the 32nd Assembly District in the California Legislature, which includes Bakersfield, Ridgecrest, Tehachapi, Taft, Frazier Park/Lebec, and the Kern River Valley.