State of California secondary Archives: on Budget & Economy
Carly Fiorina:
Stimulus package is a failure; more tax cuts instead
Fiorina blasted Boxer's economic record in Washington and, specifically, her support for the federal stimulus package. "She believes that the way to get jobs growing, the way to get the economy going, is to spend more taxpayer money, bail out companies
if necessary--that didn't work real well--regulate more, tax more and spend more,'' Fiorina said. She called the February 2009 stimulus package a "failure'' and as proof cited the unemployment rate in San Bernardino
County, which has increased from 11.7% when the stimulus legislation was approved to more than 14.2% in August.
To rescue the economy,
Fiorina said Congress should extend the Bush-era tax cuts passed in 2001 and 2003, which she said gave much-needed tax relief to small and family-owned businesses. Those tax breaks are set to expire at year's end.
Source: L.A. Times PolitiCal coverage of 2010 CA Senate Debate
Oct 18, 2010
Carly Fiorina:
Key to recovery is less government, taxation, & regulation
Boxer accused Fiorina of opposing every recent job-creation effort in the Senate, including an education bill that provided California with $1.2 billion to save the jobs of 16,500 teachers, and a bill that would increase access to credit and extended tax
breaks for small businesses. "Every time you really get past the surface, you see my opponent fighting for billionaires, for millionaires, for companies that shipped jobs overseas," Boxer said.Fiorina said that the key to economic recovery was less
government, taxation and regulation. She called for extending the Bush administration's tax cuts, saying that their expiration would further harm the struggling economy, and expressed support for repealing the estate tax and creating additional tax break
for small businesses. "To create jobs, we need to make sure in particular our small businesses, our family-owned businesses, our innovators and our entrepreneurs are freed from strangling regulation and freed from taxation," Fiorina said.
Source: Los Angeles Times coverage of 2010 CA Senate Debate
Sep 2, 2010
Dianne Feinstein:
I'm a prudent voice for deficit reduction
Q: What problem will you tackle first if elected?Dianne Feinstein: I will continue to be a prudent voice for deficit reduction. I will continue my work to develop a
national nuclear waste strategy, and my efforts to improve California's water infrastructure to provide stable water supplies in wet years and dry.
Source: Sacramento Bee Voter Guide: 2012 CA Senate debate
May 31, 2012
Doug Ose:
COVID: Open schools and businesses; get people back to work
Ose, 65, represented a Sacramento-area House district for three terms from 1999 to 2005. "We need our schools open,
we need our businesses open, we need to know where you can get a shot and people to go back to work," Ose [said].
Source: Politico.com on 2021 CA recall race
Mar 16, 2021
Elizabeth Emken:
Robust growth produces more revenue; reduce spending now
Q: Which of these would you support to reduce the federal deficit--raise taxes, cut Medicare spending, cut defense spending?Elizabeth Emken: The immediate answer is to reduce spending and regulatory burdens.
There is no agency that cannot be reduced in some form. At the same time, economic growth is imperative. We cannot pay this debt down without robust growth that produces more revenue.
Source: Sacramento Bee Voter Guide: 2012 CA Senate debate
May 31, 2012
Herman Cain:
9-9-9 economic growth: stop picking winners & losers
Q: The General Electric Corporation last year--this is a prominent case--made $14.2 billion in profits worldwide, but paid no US taxes. Perfectly legal, but does it strike you as fair?CAIN: This is why I proposed my 9-9-9 plan.
The government needs to get out of the business of picking winners and losers. The government needs to get out of the business of trying to figure out who gets a tax break here, who gets a tax break there. When you go to
9-9-9, it levels the playing field for all businesses. What a novel idea. And the government won't be in the business of trying to determine who's going to be able to make more money and pay no taxes and vice versa. Secondly, this recession is the worst
recession since the Great Depression. If the recovery that this administration claims would just tie for last place, we would have another 6 million jobs. The president simply does not understand that the business sector is the engine for economic growth
Source: 2011 GOP debate in Simi Valley CA at the Reagan Library
Sep 7, 2011
Jimmy Panetta:
Strengthen local agriculture, tourism, technology & research
Expanding the local economy, investing in innovation and clean energy, raising wages, supporting workers through job training programs, and helping small businesses grow will be top priorities for Jimmy. Our local economy relies on agriculture, tourism,
and the strength of our educational institutions, so finding the right balance is critical. The Central Coast is among the most agriculturally diverse in the nation (both conventional and organic) and is a global leader poised to play a part in
solving some of the toughest problems facing developing nations. With these opportunities come challenges, and we must manage regulation and development in a responsible way that allows businesses to grow while ensuring the preservation of
the natural treasures that drive tourism, research, and education.Jimmy's goal is to strengthen the economic industries critical to jobs on the Central Coast--agriculture, tourism, technology, research, and education.
Source: 2016 CA House campaign website JimmyPanettaForCongress.com
Nov 8, 2016
John Chiang:
Found $8 billion in government waste, fraud, & abuse
John Chiang has aggressively used his independent fiscal oversight power to audit state and local government programs. He has found over $8 billion in government waste, fraud, abuse and inefficiency--far more than any previous Controller.
John stopped the state from paying $11 million a year in salaries to dead employees. He cracked down on bureaucrats spending tens of thousands of dollars on lavish meals and extravagant entertainment.
Source: 2018 CA Gubernatorial campaign website ElectJohnChiang.com
Nov 1, 2014
John Cox:
Worried about COVID restrictions on hospitality, jobs
Cox is taking issue with the governor's actions during the COVID-19 pandemic. He said he would have handled it much differently than Newsom over the past year. "I certainly wouldn't have closed down businesses like he has for this length of time,"
Cox said. "I would've certainly not have had the kids out of school for this length of time." Cox said he is worried about the effects of pandemic-related restrictions on the hospitality industry and working people.
Source: Spectrum News-1 on 2021 CA recall race
Mar 13, 2021
Kevin Faulconer:
Put tax dollars to keeping roads smooth and safe
As governor, Kevin Faulconer will work so you can afford a home and spend less time in traffic. He will make sure your tax dollars are put toward keeping our roads smooth and safe. He will take a red pen to outdated rules that drive up the price of
apartments and houses. And he will work to create affordable housing so that our children and workforce can continue to call California home.
Source: Campaign website KevinFaulconer.com for 2021 CA recall race
Feb 14, 2021
Kevin Faulconer:
Conduct a top-to-bottom review of spending
He will conduct a top-to-bottom review of spending, cancel or fix programs that are not working, and hold departments accountable for results.
He will engage California's brilliant technology entrepreneurs to help make your interactions with the government quick and easy. And he will never forget that you, the taxpayer, are the most important customer.
Source: Campaign website KevinFaulconer.com for 2021 CA recall race
Feb 14, 2021
Kevin Faulconer:
COVID: important that we save both lives and livelihoods
My overall perspective is that it is incredibly important that we save both lives and livelihoods. I have been very outspoken about the fact that so many of the changing metrics behind reopening plans that
we saw from the governor during the course of the pandemic did not take into account the absolute need to protect small businesses.
Source: San Francisco Chronicle on 2021 CA recall race
Mar 24, 2021
Laura Smith:
Pay for infrastructure by cutting legislative salaries
I will also work to scale back elected representatives' pay significantly to reflect ethical compensation for public service. Scaling back elected representatives' pay significantly will provide a substantial portion of taxpayers' funds to be available
for responsible application of funds necessary for uses such as our roads, highways, freeways, dams, and reservoirs. This segment of infrastructure will be repaired with funds taxpayers have already paid--there will be no new taxes.
Source: 2022 CA Governor campaign site LauraSmithForCAgovernor.com
Aug 2, 2021
Lily Zhou:
Decrease national debt to run healthy economy
She aims to decrease our national debt in order to
run an efficient and healthy economy.
Source: 2021 CA Senate campaign website LilyZsenate2022.com
Michele Bachmann:
Problem is $1 in tax increases for each $3 in spending
Q: [To Perry]: At the previous debate, everyone on stage raised their hand to say they would not have accepted a debt deal that included $10 in spending cuts for every $1 in tax increases. Would you take that deal?PERRY: I join my fellow participants
here. What we should have been looking at is a way to get the spending under control and capping it, cutting it, and getting a balanced budget amendment.
Q: Did anyone else who had their hand up at that last debate want to amend your comment since then
BACHMANN: Well, there's someone else who would join us in that agreement, and that would be Ronald Reagan, because Ronald Reagan made a deal where he took $3 in spending cuts for $1 in tax increases. And, in fact, what happened is that there ended up
being $3 in tax increases and $1 in tax cuts. That's the problem with Washington, D.C. I've seen it all the time. That's why I've been leading on this issue for the last five years and why we can't trust the status quo in Washington, D.C.
Source: 2011 GOP debate in Simi Valley CA at the Reagan Library
Sep 7, 2011
Mitt Romney:
I understand how the economy works because I lived in it
Q: Despite your own private-sector experience, as you know, Massachusetts ranked only 47th in job creation during your tenure as governor.A: I'm happy to take a look at the Massachusetts record, because when I came in as governor, we were in a real
freefall. We were losing jobs every month. We had a budget that was way out of balance. We were able to turn around the job losses. At the end of four years, we had our unemployment rate down to 4.7%. The policies that will get us working again as a
nation are policies I understand having worked in the private sector. Look, if I had spent my whole life in government, I wouldn't be running for president right now. My experience, having started enterprises, having helped other enterprises grow and
thrive, is what gives me the experience to put together a plan to help restructure the basis of America's economic foundation so we can create jobs again. Our president doesn't understand how the economy works. I do, because I've lived in it.
Source: 2011 GOP debate in Simi Valley CA at the Reagan Library
Sep 7, 2011
Mitt Romney:
Let middle-income Americans save money tax-free
I don't want to raise taxes on the American people, but I think everybody ought to feel that they're part of this effort and that they're providing for our military, providing for our roads, providing for our schools. That ought to be part of what every
American experiences. The question is not the people that are not paying taxes at the low end. The question is not the people who are very, very rich. The question is, how about middle-income Americans?
Who are the people most hurt by the
Obama economy? And the answer is the middle class. The great majority of Americans are having a very, very difficult time. And our effort has to be to find ways to reduce to burden on those people.
And that's why I've proposed that anybody who's earnin
$200,000 a year and less ought to be able to save their money tax-free, no tax on interest, dividends, or capital gains. Let people save their money, invest in America, and not have to give more money to the government. The middle class needs our help.
Source: 2011 GOP debate in Simi Valley CA at the Reagan Library
Sep 7, 2011
Mitt Romney:
QE2 didn't work; focus on jobs & higher growth
Q: Would Ben Bernanke have a job in your administration? ROMNEY: No, I'd be looking for somebody new. I think Ben Bernanke has over-inflated the amount of currency that he's created. QE2 did not work.
It did not get Americans back to work. It did not get the economy going again. We're still seeing declining numbers in prior quarter estimates as to what the growth would be. We're growing now at 1% to 1.5%.
The plan I put forward will grow our economy at 4% per year for four years and add 11.5 million jobs. That's a very different approach than Ben Bernanke's taken, and it's a demonstrably different approach than
Barack Obama has taken, and that's in part because we have very different life experiences.
Source: 2011 GOP debate in Simi Valley CA at the Reagan Library
Sep 7, 2011
Nanette Barragan:
Balance business interests and jobs for our communities
As an advisor to large and small businesses for the last ten years, Nanette understands the need to balance business interests and jobs for our communities. We need to find ways to incentive clean green businesses to our district that will bring
long-term jobs.A stronger middle class means a stronger economy. We need to create robust job training programs, support small businesses and invest in growing technologies like clean energy to ensure our economy is growing and thriving.
Source: 2016 CA House campaign website BarraganForCongress.com
Nov 8, 2016
Newt Gingrich:
The Fed's secrecy & power are antithetical to a free society
Q: The chairman of the Federal Reserve, Ben Bernanke, will come to the end of his term in 2014. Would you reappoint Ben Bernanke?GINGRICH: I would fire him tomorrow.
Q: Why?
GINGRICH: I think he's been the most inflationary, dangerous, and power-centered chairman of the Fed in the history of the Fed. I think the Fed should be audited.
I think the amount of money that he has shifted around in secret, with no responsibility, no accountability, no transparency, is absolutely antithetical to a free society.
And I think his policies have deepened the depression, lengthened the problems, increased the cost of gasoline, and been a disaster.
Source: 2011 GOP debate in Simi Valley CA at the Reagan Library
Sep 7, 2011
Newt Gingrich:
Put people back to work to raise revenues without taxes
We were asked the wrong question at the last debate. The question isn't, would we favor a tax increase? The question is, how would we generate revenue?There are three good ways. The Ronald Reagan technique put 3,700,000 more people back to work.
You reduce government spending. You raise government revenues enormously. The "committee of 12" ought to be looking at, how do you create more revenue, not how do you raise taxes.
Second, you go to energy: You open up American energy, $500 billion a year here at home, enormous increase in federal revenue.
Third, we own 69% of Alaska. Let's set aside [some] for national parks.
We could liberate an area the size of Texas for minerals and other development. That would raise even more revenue, not the normal Washington viewpoint.
Source: 2011 GOP debate in Simi Valley CA at the Reagan Library
Sep 7, 2011
Rick Perry:
Keynesian theory is now done; never again in America
This president has proven for once and for all that government spending will not create one job. Keynesian policy and Keynesian theory is now done.
We'll never have to have that experiment on America again.
Source: 2011 GOP debate in Simi Valley CA at the Reagan Library
Sep 7, 2011
Rick Perry:
Balanced Budget Amendment is the only way to sleep at night
Q: At the previous debate, everyone on stage raised their hand to say they would not have accepted a debt deal that included $10 in spending cuts for every $1 in tax increases. Would you take that deal?PERRY: I join my fellow participants here.
What we should have been looking at is a way to get the spending under control and capping it, cutting it, and getting a balanced budget amendment. When you get a balanced budget amendment in Washington,
D.C., you will finally start getting the snake's head cut off. I mean, the fact of the matter is, until you get a balanced budget amendment--I don't care whether Democrats or Republicans are going to be in control in
Washington, D.C.--balanced budget amendment, and then the American people can go to sleep at night with a little more comfort that they're going to wake up and not be broke in the morning.
Source: 2011 GOP debate in Simi Valley CA at the Reagan Library
Sep 7, 2011
Ron Paul:
1980s had huge deficits, despite Reagan's message
PERRY: You wrote a letter to Ronald Reagan and said I'm going to quit the party because of the things you believe in. PAUL: I strongly supported Ronald Reagan. I was one of four members of Congress from
Texas that supported Reagan in '76. And I supported him all along, and I supported all his issues and all his programs. But in the 1980s, we spent too much, we taxed too much, we built up our deficits, and it was a bad scene.
Therefore, I support the message of Ronald Reagan. The message was great. But the consequence, we have to be honest with ourselves. It was not all that great.
Huge deficits during the 1980s, and that is what my criticism was for, not for Ronald Reagan's message. His message is a great message.
Source: 2011 GOP debate in Simi Valley CA at the Reagan Library
Sep 7, 2011
Page last updated: Feb 18, 2023