President Donald Trump unveiled his spending plan Thursday, prompting swift backlash from California lawmakers and local governments.
San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo and other big city mayors told Politico that the president’s proposed budget would cut into vital city services, including public safety as well as much-needed upgrades to transportation infrastructure.
“As a large-city mayor in the heart of Silicon Valley, however, I learned long ago not to depend on Washington D.C. to make things happen,” Liccardo told the publication. “We’ll find a way to get critical projects built with or without their help.”
Trump’s budget blueprint for the coming year would slash funding for 15 public agencies—including arts, education and those that provide critical health and human services—while beefing up the military and border patrol.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-San Jose), a member of the House Budget Committee, said the president’s “America First” spending plan would devastate countless Americans.
“Investments in public education, research and development, the creative industries, and environmental protections support a vibrant and secure economy,” Khanna said. “Yet, the White House wants to ignore American values by initiating massive cuts to these programs. The strength of our nation is more than just our military might.”
The budget stands to hurt the poorest Americans, particularly those who struggle to afford housing in expensive rental markets like the South Bay. Though Trump promised during his campaign to help the nation's embattled working class and working poor, his cuts to public housing would put hundreds of thousands of people—most of them families, disabled, military veterans and elderly—at risk of homelessness.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) called the blueprint the most draconian budget she’s ever seen proposed by a president, adding that it defies basic math and logic.
“It's an absolute travesty for California and every state or community that thought they had a true partner in the federal government,” Feinstein said in an analysis published on her official website. “The president does not seem to understand that cutting vital investments in our communities and our economy will never lead to a balanced budget.”
The senior senator took issue with Trump’s proposed elimination of the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program, which pays back counties for the cost of locking up non-citizens convicted of crimes.
“This cut is utterly illogical and would force state and local law enforcement to divert funds from hiring and training officers,” Feinstein said. “Local law enforcement should not be punished for Congress’s failure to pass a comprehensive immigration reform bill.”
Trump’s request to spend $2.6 billion to expand the wall along the Southern border runs counter to his campaign promise to force Mexico to pay for it, Feinstein pointed out.
“Mexico won't pay for the wall so the president’s budget calls for the American people to foot the bill for the lawyers needed to battle private landowners in court,” she wrote.
“I couldn’t be more disappointed that President Trump has used his first budget proposal to prioritize the border wall—his pet project—and a deportation force over critical support for state and local law enforcement,” Feinstein added. “He repeatedly promised during the campaign to support local police and this budget breaks that promise.”
Trump’s full spending plan won’t be submitted until later this spring. The president’s blueprint marks the beginning of a months-long process, which goes through the House and Senate appropriations committees, to come up with a budget for the coming fiscal year, which starts July 1.
Ultimately, Congress decides how to spend federal dollars. And already, analysts are calling the proposal dead on arrival.
Click here to read Trump’s entire 62-page budget proposal.
Thank you for standing up for the people of San Jose and region.
San Jose should be proud that they have a Mayor that represents them and stands up for what is right .While just next door in Milpitas there’s a Mayor only
foucused on shallow unobtainable promises that matter to no one.
Not to be all “Art of the Deal” – but the Presidents budget had always been a first offer to start negotiating. One of the reasons Obama was criticized on the budget and debt ceiling stuff was that he negotiated w/ himself before negotiating with the other side by offering a budget he thought he could get rather than being chiseled down. Trump
is going big but expects this to be parred down while he will express outrage that he’s not getting his first offer.
So Feinstein bemoans the idea that California is losing “a true partner in the federal government” and complains about the elimination of a reimbursement program for the costs of incarcerating non-citizens, while at the same time the state chooses to ignore federal immigration law and thwart efforts to deport incarcerated criminals who are in the country illegally. Partnership is supposed to go both ways.
At last a budget heading in the right direction, down and out of the debt racked up by irresponsible politicians and a Federal Governments out of control spending that will be passed on to our grandchildren.
Our Mayor, Congressmen, and Senators should groveling for money, or following immigration law and working with the government so they may not cut your Police and welfare money.
Try balancing your budget insted of dumping more taxes on the middle class. Work with local industry to hire American citizens that will pay more taxes insted of H1b’s that work for low wages, or Illegals that work under the table and send money out of the country tax free.
Get our schools to teach English first and math, computer science, American history, insted of 52 genders and which bathroom to use. Why is California 48th in education in public schools? Because it’s run by a bunch of left wing anti American socialists that just don’t get it. Till then run your revolution on you own dime.
There is no problem, just tell your citizens that you don’t need the U.S. Government and their money more then you need illegals in your City because you can raise all kinds of taxes including property taxes through the roof. Being a sanctuary city is more important then providing citizens with services. Where are you going to get the money to pay your photocopy girls $72,000 a year cause it’s real hard to find top grade photocopy machine button pushers. I saw one the other day who spent 20 minutes making 100 copies for Liccardo and he told her to read each one to makes sure they were all the same. That took 71/2 hours and one hour of overtime.
So all the Federal money won’t fix stupid.
San Jose Mayor, Local Elected Officials Slam President Trump’s Proposed Spending Plan
Here’s an idea for those ‘Local Officials’: next time, get your candidate elected—then you can promote her spending plan. But in the mean time, how about trying not to be such sore losers? It’s an insult to the country’s electorate, not to mention to America’s democracy.
Try to understand that President Trump would be nothing without the majority of voters who supported him. So stop trying to out-do each other with your juvenile tantrums, and grow up. This isn’t all about you. You had your chance. You had every possible advantage, but you lost. You didn’t get your way, so suck it up. You’re not entitled.
You’re setting a bad example, don’t you see? What happened to your self respect?
And this is a surprise that a liberal Mayor doesn’t stand up for Trump? Perhaps the Mayor should take his lead and go item by item on his budget, he might find some surprises. We finally have a President accomplishing things and the Democrats are in shock. Thank you Mr. President for being a strong leader, these morons are out to lunch. But you knew that. You could walk on water and cure cancer and they would still complain.
bunch of cry babies. You need to take care of your citizens. Stop crime and letting criminals wreck everything. SAD