“As you know, the president’s budget is the first step in a lengthy and complicated process that can result in the fair and equitable treatment of California’s taxpayers — with your help,” Schwarzenegger wrote. “As the president’s proposals make their way through Congress, I am writing to encourage you to continue to fight for what California is owed.”
The governor’s letter comes after he criticized federal representatives last month for not doing enough to get more federal aid to California.
Reps. David Dreier (R-San Dimas), Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) and Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks) have said they’ve been working in the best interest of the state and would continue to do so, even as Schwarzenegger’s tone toward the delegation has become harsh.
The state, Schwarzenegger argued, incurs billions of dollars in additional costs because of its obligation to pay for the incarceration of illegal immigrants that the federal government should be required to support.
The president proposed $330 million be spent on the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program, but Schwarzenegger argued that more help is required for California, which is facing a $19-billion budget shortfall over the next 18 months.
“While this is a far cry from funding at the appropriate level, this is the first time any president has proposed federal funding in his budget, which sends a strong signal that states have made compelling arguments regarding the unfunded costs associated with the incarceration of undocumented immigrants,” Schwarzenegger wrote in his letter. “We estimate that California will spend nearly $1 billion to incarcerate these individuals, but we only receive less than 10% from the federal Department of Justice for these costs.”
