Sacramento, Calif.-Some support, but also warnings are coming in the wake of Governor Brown's just released budget proposal for the next fiscal year beginning in July 2013. The Governor announced his budget proposal Thursday morning continuing his call for fiscal discipline. Over the last decade California has faced a 'kick the debt down the road' mentality and a structural deficit. Add to that the Great Recession, and California's debt has meant substantial cuts in social programs and attempts to generate more revenue through fee and tax increases. The trickle down economics of the state's woes has caused counties and cities to also make huge budget cuts, face deficits and in some cases bankruptcy.
The group Health and Humans Services Network of California or HHS Network, a coalition of groups fighting for social programs in the state, organized rallies in six California cities Thursday as the Governor released his Budget Proposal for the next fiscal year. While the Governor has pledged 'fiscal disciple' and touts his proposal grows the fiscal stability achieved over the last two budgets, groups are concerned that the budget proposal doesn't go far enough in returning valuable services and programs, including those at the state's education venues.
HHS Network commented, "Millions of California families are still struggling to meet their basic health, housing, and childcare needs. It's now time for those legislative leaders to act on the will of California voters and pass a budget built on revenue solutions that truly meets California's needs and repairs our damaged social safety net."
On the education front, the state's Superintendent of Schools Tom Torlakson had this to say about the Governor's budget proposal, "The Governor's budget proposal keeps the promise we made to Californians who supported Proposition 30, and wisely begins to restore some of what our schools have lost. It will take years to bring our education system back to financial health, and I applaud the Governor for beginning that work in earnest.
Torlakson went on to say, "I do believe, however, that early education programs—cut deeply in recent years—deserve to share in this recovery as well. They are among our best investments in the future of California's children."
Next year's budget will now be vetted by the Legislature and the Governor will issue a May revised budget proposal before the Legislature finalizes the 2013-2014 budget to begin on July 1st.
