SACRAMENTO – Senator Ted Gaines (R-Roseville) today issued the following statement regarding the Democrats’ majority-vote budget package.

“This irresponsible budget is full of gimmicks and tricks that don’t actually address the structural reform California desperately needs. It pushes us deeper into debt by relying too heavily on future tax increases and does nothing to prevent the abusive budget practices that continue to plague our state.”

“The Democrats perpetually place the needs of special interests above those of Californians. Their budget is absent of real pension reform, a hard spending cap, a plan to put people back to work and a change in the way government does business.”

“We need to enact serious, long-term solutions that will not only prevent future financial meltdowns, but will encourage job creation and allow California’s economy to recover.”

The package proposed by majority Democrats includes a quarter-cent increase to the sales tax and a $12 increase to the vehicle registration fees.

Senator Ted Gaines represents the 1st Senate District, which includes all or parts of Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Lassen, Modoc, Mono, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento and Sierra counties.