Area pols uneasy on budget

Exhausted after a 45-hour Capitol lockdown to clear the state’s budget impasse that ended Thursday morning, local Republican lawmakers expressed disappointment in California’s new budget package.

“It represents the largest one-time tax increase in the history of state government at around $12 billion in this economic downturn,” said Assemblyman Van Tran, who voted against the budget plan.

“The taxation and fees will represent anywhere between $1,000 to $1,500 out of the pockets of families — and that is a severe hit on working families.”

The plan includes $14.8 billion in spending cuts and $12.5 billion in tax hikes.

“I think it’s going to throw more people out of work and exacerbate the problem,” said Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, who also opposed the budget package.

“We didn’t lay off one government worker and didn’t reform one government agency. I expect we’re going to be right back at a deficit by mid-year and they are going to call for more tax hikes to solve the problem.”

DeVore, who resigned his position as chief Republican whip over the weekend to protest the tax increases, said he felt a mixture of “depression and exhaustion” after the plan cleared the state senate early Thursday morning.

Sen. Tom Harman, who opposed the tax increases, voiced concerns the budget package did not do enough to cut back spending and stem growth in the state government in a bad economic climate.

“Even the governor acknowledged that no one at this point can predict the future of our economy,” Harman said in a written statement.

“I think a more responsible course of action would have been to look for a solution that takes us through the end of this fiscal year.”

Reporter BRIANNA BAILEY may be reached at (714) 966-4625 or at brianna.bailey@latimes.com.