Democrats inserted $222M in additional funding for illegal immigrants' health care.

Today is the constitutional deadline for the Legislature to pass a budget. However, today, Senator Runner along with a majority of Republicans will not accept a budget where Democrats at the last minute inserted $222 million of additional funding for illegal immigrants' health care while slashing funding for law enforcement. "Passing a budget is very important but there is no way I will support a budget that gives $222 million of health care for illegal immigrants. At the same time, the Democrats slashed the Governor's budget proposals to increase funding for law enforcement.  These are just the wrong priorities," said Runner.

At the conclusion of the budget conference committee, Democrats inserted a proposal to increase the Healthy Families budget and 97 percent of the increase will go to health care for illegal immigrants. In addition, the Democrats slashed $148 million in the Governor's proposal to increase law enforcement.  This includes rejecting COPS (Citizens' Option for Public Safety) funding, SAFE Teams (Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement Task Forces), vertical prosecution block grants, Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act and several other law enforcement programs.

Runner added, "Cities and counties depend on these law enforcement programs to help keep their communities safe." "It is clear the Democrats' priorities are to increase services for illegal immigrants and cut law enforcement's budget.  We will not spend Californians' hard-earned tax dollars in this way." Runner and the Republicans will continue to fight for a fiscally prudent budget that pays down the deficit, supports law enforcement – not illegal immigration — and does not increase taxes.