But, Chuck, this is not what you were saying in 2005 when you were supporting the California Governator and voting for his 2005-2006 state budget.

So, the question is:

Is Chuck DeVore a fiscal conservative? Well, not in 2005 when DeVore voted for California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s disastrous budget. You remember the 2005-2006 budget that my then State Senator Tom McClintock opposed.

I am sorry to interrupt the chorus of self-congratulations, but I feel compelled to state an obvious fact – that this budget is $6 billion out of balance; that the state’s chronic deficit spending is getting worse, not better; and that the growth of general fund spending is growing and not shrinking.

Nor can I join applauding the “painstaking negotiations” that have produced this document. The fact is, in May the Governor proposed spending $88 billion (General Fund), the Democrats countered at $89 billion, and they have now compromised at $90 billion. I suppose it is a blessing that the negotiations didn’t go on any longer.

Let me run through the vital statistics of this spending plan. According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office in June, inflation and population will grow 5 percent and revenue will grow 6 percent. But according to the budget staff analysis, spending will grow by 10 percent. That makes it measurably worse than the plan the Senate rejected on June 15th.

On June 15th, we rejected a $5 billion operating deficit. This budget spends $90 and takes in only $84 — for a SIX BILLION DOLLAR shortfall – THIS YEAR.

On June 15th, we rejected a 9 percent increase in state spending. This budget is a 10 percent increase – averaging 7 ½ percent over the last two years. Spending increases under the Davis administration averaged 7 percent.

Let me repeat: This budget spends $6 billion more than we take in. Last year we spent $2 billion more than we took in. That means that this year’s operating deficit is THREE TIMES bigger than last year’s.

Now, I’m sorry to throw cold water on the celebration, but that is not progress. That is the opposite of progress.

And yet, once again, we’re told that the budget is balanced. But the blunt truth is that it is only balanced with borrowed funds carried over from last year.

And, a budget that the Howard Jarvis TaxPayers Association called overspending:

“Overall, we’re pleased there’s not been any broad increase in taxes,” said Jon Coupal, executive director of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association and a frequent adviser to the governor. “We do wish the administration would cut spending more but we understand given the makeup of the Legislature, that’s a difficult thing to do.”

So, Tom Campbell is not the only politician in this U.S. Senate race who has problems with fiscal conservative credentials.

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