Federal Officials Warn California Governor They're No ATM
SACRAMENTO (KCBS) – California's senior representatives in Washington say they're ready to help the state's new governor, Jerry Brown, solve California's budget crisis. That is as long as he doesn't ask them for any more federal money.
KCBS' Doug Sovern Reports:
Former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger leaned heavily on the feds for billions of dollars to help balance California's books. Senator Dianne Feinstein, who attended Governor Brown's inauguration, applauds his determination to change the way Sacramento approaches the budget.
"It's got to end here," said Feinstein. "I hope he can do it. It's a very, very big agenda."
Both Feinstein and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who was also there, remind Governor Brown that the federal government has its own little deficit problem.
"I'll help him in any way I can, but probably the help will be federal money, and that's very difficult because it's going to be down substantially," said Pelosi.
Feinstein, who considered running for governor herself, tells KCBS she doesn't know that she would have won, but considering the daunting task facing Brown, she feels like she dodged a bullet.
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