Growing Budget Gap Is Targeted

Script and images:

The advertisement starts with the governor making his vow before the Legislature a year ago during his State of the State address.

Gov. Schwarzenegger: “Never again will government be allowed to spend money it doesn’t have.”

Narrator: “But he broke that promise. He’s kept on borrowing, increasing our debt to $26 billion ... 40% more debt than under Gray Davis.”

The screen then splits. Various pictures of the governor remain on one side while the other side shows ostensibly who will be hurt by his budget policies: students studying at classroom desks, two students with a teacher, a child at a doctor’s office.

Narrator: “The yearly payments will be more than we spend on the entire University of California system.

Narrator: “Now the governor’s debt threatens draconian cuts in the budget to education and healthcare, which he promised to protect.”

At one point, there is an image of the state Capitol with the words “40% MORE DEBT” over it.

Narrator: “Tell Gov. Schwarzenegger, ‘No more debt; no more deception.’ ”

Analysis:

This ad, timed to coincide with the governor’s State of the State address today and the release on Monday of his spending plan, is intended to remind voters that the budget remains billions of dollars out of balance.

Schwarzenegger has had only limited success at bringing state spending under control, and his repeal of a $4-billion tax hike on car owners has caused the budget gap to surge upward. California is one of the few remaining states in the country that continues to struggle with multibillion-dollar shortfalls.

Though the state’s borrowing has increased by billions of dollars under Schwarzenegger, the blame does not fall entirely on him. After inheriting a huge shortfall from the previous administration, Schwarzenegger proposed deep cuts in healthcare and social service programs. The cuts were rejected by majority Democrats in the Legislature.

Administration officials also point out that $11 billion of the borrowing Angelides targets was approved by voters in March. It has helped the state avert a cash crisis and improve its bond rating.

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From Times staff writer Evan Halper