N E W S R E L E A S E

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 1, 2003

SAN DIEGO-BASED NON-PARTISAN THINK TANK
LAUNCHES CALIFORNIA BUDGET TRUTH SQUAD DURING FINAL RECALL DAYS

The Performance Institute's California Government Accountability Council
Reveals the Facts about the State's Real Fiscal Crisis

SAN DIEGO - As the Recall campaign comes into its final days, the Performance Institute, a San Diego-based non-partisan think tank and co-author of the widely recognized Citizens' Budget, launched a "Budget Truth Squad" today to give voters and the media the facts about California's true fiscal crisis.

"California is in a fiscal crisis," stated Carl DeMaio, President of the Performance Institute and Project Director of the Citizens' Budget. "The Performance Institute's California Government Accountability Council is going to make certain that as this historic campaign comes to an end and taxpayers head to the polls, that the voters have the facts about the budget and the crisis our state is truly in."

The current Governor and the candidates for Governor are continually making public statements about the current fiscal situation in California. The California Government Accountability Council (CAGAC) is going to cut through the chaos and spin by providing "just the facts."

"Each day, the California Government Accountability Council will analyze statements made by Gray Davis and the gubernatorial candidates regarding California's fiscal crisis for accuracy. We will provide the 'real truth' on the Council's web site, www.cagac.org," said DeMaio, who also directs the Council project. "In the last election voters did not have facts -- this time, we are going to make the information available for them."

DeMaio commented, "the TRUTH is that this summer's recently passed Budget was a sham. As the recent pension fund bond decision demonstrates, this budget agreement is falling apart with each passing day. This chaotic agreement failed to address the true budget shortfalls. Californians deserve the facts about our fiscal crisis so they can make a decision about which future leader might be willing to actually acknowledge this situation."

In an analysis now available on the Council's web site, DeMaio demonstrates that the budget deficit next year will range from $14.5 billion to $30.2 billion. For more information and for the daily outrage as the Recall campaign comes to its final days, please visit www.cagac.org.

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