Palin attacks state budget, says 'hope isn't a budget tool'

Sacramento Business Journal ^ | October 17, 2010 | Kathy Robertson

[Al B.]

“Our leadership in Washington is at war with American business,” former Alaska governor Sarah Palin said in a speech to Sacramento business leaders Friday.

“We just need to turn this thing around,” she said.

[...]

Palin had both praise and criticism for California’s recently signed state budget.

Pointing to her own record of scaling back pension benefits for new state workers in Alaska — and a switch from a defined benefit plan to a defined contribution — she applauded pension reform in California that curtails benefits for new workers.

“But how long can you all keep kicking the can down the road?” she quipped of the patchwork of cuts, transfers and new revenue cobbled together to fill the $17.9 billion budget gap. “It’s accounting tricks and a big dose of federal dollars. Hope isn’t a budget tool. The next governor will have to make tough decisions about spending — and she will,” Palin said in support of Republican candidate Meg Whitman, the former chief executive officer of eBay Inc.

Turning to federal health care reform, Palin’s message was clear: “It’s gotta go.”

[BenLurkin]

California isn’t floating in oil money like they are in Alaska — but it could be!

[Roklok]

California has all kinds of oil off shore, but refuse to allow any drilling. The royalties would solve their budget problems. They are looking for a handout from the federal gov’t. I say, let them sink in their debt.

[onyx]

Look for a LIVEstream from Reno tomorrow, so that we can have a LIVE thread. I’m going to try to be here early. Governor Sarah Palin is working her heart out campaigning on behalf of others. She into serious issues and she’s sprinkles her speeches with just the right amount of humor.

[skr]

Hope isn’t a budget tool.

Now that's a sound bite!