Schwarzenegger: "Don't blame state budget deficit on illegals"

Schwarzenegger: Don't blame state budget deficit on illegal immigrants

Published: Saturday, Jun. 6, 2009

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Friday disputed claims that illegal immigrants caused California's $24.3 billion deficit, while he praised their economic contributions and said he is "happy" they have access to services.

The Republican governor, answering wide-ranging questions from The Bee's editorial board and its readers, also vented about roadblocks to his authority posed by political foes and warned that government can't sustain the current level of "unbelievable benefits" for public-sector workers.

In response to dozens of questions from readers who say the state ought to wipe out the deficit by eliminating services for illegal immigrants, the governor said it is a "myth" that those immigrants are to blame.

He said the cost of services to illegal immigrants, which has been estimated at $4 billion to $5 billion annually, is a "small percentage" of the deficit California faces.

"Yes, it is something that ought to be dealt with, but the fact of the matter is, I think it's an easy scapegoat for people to point the finger and say, 'Our budget is out of whack because of illegal immigrants.' "

"It's not," he added. "Our budget is out of whack because we have self-inflicted wounds that the Legislature and this state has never really sat down and had the will to go and make the necessary changes that have to be made."

The governor noted that the federal government requires California to provide emergency health care and education to illegal immigrants. Schwarzenegger in 2006 renounced his 1994 vote for Proposition 187, the initiative to block most services for illegal immigrants, which courts deemed unconstitutional.

"You know something, as far as I'm concerned, I'm happy that they can get the services," he said Friday. "Because I would like to have the services if I'm somewhere in another country … if I have an accident with a motorcycle and I go to an emergency room, I don't want someone to say, is he here legally?"

Schwarzenegger also highlighted the economic contributions of illegal immigrants.

"Everything we eat today is picked and created by undocumented immigrants, to a large extent," he said. "And every time we go to a restaurant and every time we go and move into a building, a lot of those buildings are built by undocumented immigrants' hands."

Schwarzenegger has two budget proposals that affect immigrants. He proposed asking the federal government to deport up to 8,000 illegal immigrants in state prisons to save $182 million. He also wants to save $120 million by eliminating benefits for newly legal low-income immigrants who do not yet qualify for federal assistance.

The governor has said he believes the United States should enforce tougher border controls, and he has advocated for immigration changes such as a guest worker program.

A Federation for American Immigration Reform study released in 2004 said illegal immigrants cost the state $9 billion annually, including $7.7 billion on education. But University of Southern California demographer Dowell Myers has disputed that number and said it is difficult to quantify the full economic impact of illegal immigrants.

Jim Gilchrist, president of the Minuteman Project, accused the governor of "pandering to political correctness." He acknowledged that costs of some goods and services could increase without illegal immigrants, but he said that would be outweighed by tax savings.

"The money for services comes from increased sales taxes, increased property taxes, increased DMV fees," he said.

Sen. Gil Cedillo, D-Los Angeles, praised the governor for saying immigrants are not to blame.

"Our economy is very, very dependent on the immigrant work force," he said. "They're a very disciplined, very stable, very productive work force. Our economy would collapse without them."

Facing a $24.3 billion deficit after signing a $92 billion spending plan in February, the Republican governor accepted some blame for what has transpired since he was elected on the promise of fiscal rescue.

[link to www.sacbee.com]