Statement on budget vote: California can do better

SACRAMENTO – Senator Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) issued the following statement after the Senate today approved a 2021-22 budget proposal agreed to by Assembly and Senate Democrats:

“Everyone knows the real purpose of today’s vote – it is to ensure the Legislature continues to get paid after June 15. Only the Governor knows whether he will sign this budget or not.

“I did not support today’s budget because California can do better. It is unwise for this budget to pay down only $2 billion of the state’s $24 billion unemployment insurance debt, which is essentially a jobs tax.

“I urge the Go...