Donations Needed For No Budget No Pay Initiative
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA, November 10, 2008 --- At the California State Grange annual convention held last month in Sacramento the delegates voted unanimously to pursue a No Budget – No Pay initiative that would require California legislators to approve a state budget on time, or suffer consequences.
The first step in the process will be to retain a constitutional attorney to review the initiative draft. Donations are being requested to make that happen. Donation checks should be made out to the California State Grange with a notation in the memo field; “NBNP”. Please mail donations to the California State Grange, 3830 U Street, Sacramento, California 95817.
The initiative would halt “salary, benefits and living expenses” for California legislators and the governor for every day after June 30, until they approve a budget. The state constitution already mandates that legislators approve a budget by June 15.
Angered by the lawmakers failure to meet the annual June 15 deadline 27 out of the last 31 years, the delegates gave a green light for Grange leadership to move forward and form a Political Action Committee to begin raising an estimated $3 million to collect 700,000 signatures needed to put the initiative on the ballot.
“Our members have spoken. I’m proud of their courage and determination in tackling this injustice to the people of California,” commented State Grange President Randall Lewis. “We’re up for this challenge and I predict overwhelming support from the voters.”
Grange members attending the convention at the Holiday Inn Northeast in Sacramento eagerly lined-up to sign a petition to be delivered to the California State Legislative Counsel for review, the first step in the initiative process. Spontaneously, more than two thousand dollars was collected from members to seed the effort.
“What’s all the fuss?”, questioned Grange member Dale Baker. “We’re just asking them to do the job we hired them for. If I don’t do my jobs, I don’t get paid. Why should legislators get special treatment?”
Immediately, the State Grange put up a web site to provide information and collect donations. The web address is www.NoBudget-NoPay.org.
Donation checks should be made out to the California State Grange with a notation in the memo field; “NBNP”. Please mail donations to the California State Grange, 3830 U Street, Sacramento, California 95817.
For more information phone (916) 454-5805.