Calaveras County's Assembly Member Bigelow Asks for Restraint

    Assembly Member Frank Bigelow R- O'Neals, today responded to the release of Governor Jerry Brown's 2013-14 budget proposal, saying that he agreed with the Governor's call to continue to rein in spending.

   Bigelow said that lawmakers and the Governor should focus on providing adequate funding for California's education system while keeping local communities safe, promoting job growth and geting the economy back on track.

   "I'm pleased to hear that the Governor has called for fiscal restraint and acknowledges that we need to continue to rein in spending,"  Bigelow said.

   "However, I remain concerned that state spending has increased yet again and that not all of the voter-passed Proposition 30 funding is being funneled towards our young people and their classrooms."

   Bigelow agrees with Governor Brown that California's K-12 and college students should be the state's top funding priority.

   Further, Bigelow says he will continue his commitment to rural education and rural school districts to ensure that students in rural California have the same opportunities as their urban counterparts.

    Assembly Member Bigelow stated the he stands ready and willing to work with the Governor and Democrats to craft responsible solutions to statewide problems and ensure that the people of rural California are put back to work.

   Assembly Member Bigelow also stated that he is committed to higher education. One of  his most important budget priorities is ensuring that the Legislature upholds its education promises to voters.

   He has co-suthored Assembly Bill 67 (Gorell), which will provide a seven-year tuition freeze at the state's public colleges and universities while the Proposition 30 taxes are in effect, and use this money to increase higher education funding.

   "I'm proud to co-author AB 67, my colleague Assembly member Jeff Gorell's bill that implements a tuition freeze at the state's public colleges and universities, " Bigelow said.  "This bill will make college affordable for all students."

   Beyond education, Bigelow says that one of  his top priorities this year is job creation, stating that he understands that more private sector jobs means more tax revenue for education and public safety without raising taxes on job creators.