CTNS SCRIPTS
CAPITOL TELEVISION NEWS SERVICE
SACRAMENTO, CA
(916) 446-7890
MONDAY, DEMBEMBER 1ST , 2008
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1. SWEARING THE LAWMAKERS VO/SOT
2. LEGISLATIVE STAFF RAISES VO/SOT
3. HIGHER EDUCATION CUTS VO/SOT
STATIONS PLEASE NOTE: REQUESTED SOUNDBITES FROM INDIVIDUAL LAWMAKERS WERE INCLUDED AS EXTRA BITES AT THE END OF THE FIRST STORY.
2. LEGISLATIVE STAFF RAISES VO/SOT
LIVE:
DESPITE THE STATE BUDGET DEFICIT, STATE LAWMAKERS GAVE SALARY INCREASES TO MORE THAN 200 LEGISLATIVE STAFF MEMBERS DURING THE PAST YEAR. WHILE ADMITTING THE TIMING OF THE RAISES SENDS A POOR MESSAGE TO TAXPAYERS, THE ASSEMBLY REPUBLICAN LEADER TODAY DEFENDED THE RAISES AS APPROPRIATE.
SUPER: TODAY/STATE CAPITOL
VO: (:25)
THE STATE GOVERNMENT CURRENTLY HAS A DEFICIT ESTIMATED AT MORE THAN 11 BILLION DOLLARS, BUT ASSEMBLY LAWMAKERS GAVE RAISES TO 179 MEMBERS OF THEIR OFFICE STAFF. MORE THAN 30 SENATE STAFF MEMBERS LAWMAKERS ALSO RECEIVED SALARY INCREASES. MORE THAN 100 LEGISLATIVE STAFFERS ALSO WERE PROMOTED TO HIGHER PAYING JOBS. MORE THAN 40 PERCENT OF THE RAISES WENT TO STAFF MEMBERS ALREADY PAID MORE THAN 80-THOUSAND DOLLARS PER YEAR.
SUPER: ASSEMBLYMAN MIKE VILLINES/R-CLOVIS
SOT: (:14)
SAYS: "THE TIMING IS TERRIBLE. I MEAN, IT'S A VERY, VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF MONEY OVERALL, BUT ABSOLUTELY THE TIMING IS BAD, IT DOES SEND THE WRONG MESSAGE, THAT'S THE PROBLEM. HAVING SAID THAT, THESE ARE CAREER FOLKS, WHO HAVE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME, WHO ARE JUST SORT OF MOVING UP..."
SUPER:SENATOR DARRELL STEINBERG/D-SACRAMENTO
SOT: (:13)
SAYS: "I'M NEW ON THE JOB. WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, ONCE PEOPLE ARE IN THEIR PLACES, WHICH THEY ARE, YEAH, THEN WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, GRANTING RAISES IN THE MIDST OF THAT, THE FISCAL CRISIS. THAT WOULD NOT BE APPROPRIATE."
VO TAG:
SENATE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE DARRELL STEINBERG SAYS HE'D PREFER TO JUDGE WHETHER ITS PROPER TO GIVE RAISES BASED ON AN EMPLOYEES' INDIVIDUAL JOB PERFORMANCE, RATHER THAN BASE RAISES ON WHETHER OR NOT THE STATE CAN AFFORD TO PAY FOR THEM.
EXTRA BITES:
SUPER: ASSEMBLYMAN MIKE VILLINES/R-CLOVIS
SOT: (:15)
SAYS: "THIS IS A TIME WHEN WE SHOULD BE MAKING SACRIFICES. BUT I DON'T THINK STAFF SHOULD BE THE FOCUS. IT SHOULD BE US. WE SHOULD BE WILLING TO SAY WE'RE GOING TO KNOCK OFF TWO TO THREE PERCENT OF OUR SALARY, OR WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO LOSE OUR VACATIONS DAYS FOR HOWEVER MANY, WE CAN DO SOMETHING TO PROVIDE LEADERSHIP, YOU KNOW, NOT THE STAFF."
SUPER: SENATOR DARRELL STEINBERG/D-SACRAMENTO
SOT: (:16)
SAYS: "I THINK YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT ALL OF THOSE ISSUES ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS. I MEAN, WHEN PEOPLE UNDERTAKE NEW RESPONSIBILITIES TO GET BIGGER JOBS THEN OF COURSE THEY EARN A HIGHER SALARY. SO I PREFER TO LOOK AT IT ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS."
