calgov2002:
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Posted on 12/07/2002 1:00:31 PM PST by NormsRevenge
Edited on 04/12/2004 5:46:40 PM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
The grim and far-reaching consequences of California's budget crisis began to hit home in earnest Friday as Gov. Gray Davis announced $10.2 billion in midyear cuts and other adjustments.
They touch on nearly every facet of state operations, from a boost in state park fees to the elimination of cost-of-living benefit increases for aged, blind and disabled people.
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
Oh, I don't know. Cutting Medi-Cal payments to doctors by 10% is going to affect them a whole lot more than $20 per month.
I say this as it's my part time job to make sure we pay as little tax as possible. We have gotten very creative and damn good at it. I suggest others do the same.
Education will bear the brunt of efforts to reduce the deficit, with Gov. Gray Davis on Friday recommending it shoulder $3.8 billion of the total $10 billion in cuts outlined. The Legislature must approve any budget action.
"I don't expect anyone to like these cuts," Davis said. "In times like these, everyone must be part of the solution."
Under Davis' plan, over the next 18 months K-12 schools would receive cuts of $3.1 million, while budgets for state colleges and universities would be reduced $700 million -- with even more cutbacks possible. However, the state will provide additional funding next fiscal year for student enrollment growth, finance officials said.
University of California and California State University officials reacted to the grim news by immediately announcing plans to consider student fee increases that could go into effect as early as January.
The proposed budget cuts come after years of increased funding for schools. As recently as two years ago, Davis gave some of the $12 billion surplus to public schools.
In Davis' past four years, funding for K-12 and community colleges has increased 33 percent, for UC 28.1 percent and for CSU 27.7 percent, said Hilary McLean, a Davis spokeswoman.
Education Secretary Kerry Mazzoni said the across-the-board education cuts of nearly 3.7 percent proposed for K-12 and community colleges were balanced and geared to have minimal impact on classroom instruction.
The sting, she said, would be mitigated by the opportunity for schools to drain their reserves and be allowed greater flexibility in how they spend categorical funding, or money earmarked for special programs.
School officials, however, didn't share her optimistic view.
"These cuts are going to directly impact students in every classroom in California," said Becky Zoglman, a spokeswoman for the California Teachers Association. "It will be devastating, and coming midyear, it's going to be impossible for schools to do."
Locally, Sacramento City Unified School District officials will look at the cuts as an opportunity to get "leaner and meaner," said spokeswoman Maria Lopez.
She said the district wants the chance to choose the way it makes any budget cuts and hopes to target items such as travel, transportation and central office expenditures.
Cutting teachers isn't part of the plan, she said.
"You can cut away the fat, but you can't cut the muscle, and teachers are our muscle," she said. "We don't want to cut programs that will affect our stability or our momentum."
Diana Michel, vice chancellor of governmental relations and external affairs for the California Community Colleges chancellor's office, said the impact of the cuts would be significant.
She stressed that if cuts are made, community college districts should be given the flexibility to decide how to put them in place.
"The districts will be faced with some very serious choices about programs and services," Michel said. "Courses are already planned, we've already hired the faculty."
Mazzoni warned that she anticipates layoff notices will be coming. Asked if schools, community colleges and universities might reopen negotiations with employee unions to reduce salaries, Mazzoni said she "wouldn't rule it out."
She said CSU and UC had the option of raising student fees to offset cuts, while community college fees are set by the Legislature.
Although Davis has said in the past that he was opposed to fee increases, Mazzoni said "the governor has indicated everything is on the table."
The UC Board of Regents next month will consider raising instate student fees $135 for the coming term. The regents raised out-of-state tuition in July.
Davis proposed $74 million in midyear cuts for UC. Targets included libraries, K-12 outreach, student services and certain state-funded research. Additional and even more severe reductions are expected next fiscal year.
Brad Hayward, a UC spokesman, said the university hoped that raising student fees would ensure students a quality education. He did not believe the increases would hurt access because the neediest students would qualify for student aid. If approved, the fee increases would begin with the spring term.
Davis proposed cutting the CSU budget this year by $59.6 million, but noted that the system would have the flexibility of determining how the cuts should be made.
The CSU Board of Trustees will meet this month to look at raising fees as early as January, although the proposed amount was not known Friday, said spokeswoman Colleen Bentley-Adler.
CSU Chancellor Charles B. Reed said in a statement that this year will be challenging for the system, while deep cuts next could mean "a catastrophe."
"We do, however, expect to accommodate our student enrollment for the remainder of the year, and will make every effort to honor our commitment to students to provide classes and services," Reed said.
While necessities like education, medical care and other more bonified places to spend money take it in the shorts, you can bet your ass the Coastal Commission, the NGOs, Liberal programs everywhere won't suffer much.
Cuts: Libraries? Yes. Schools? Yes. Land aquisitions for some conservancy group? Not on your life!!!! The campaign to save the left flippered snail larve existing on the bottom side of same quack's 1953 Studebaker? You must be kidding.
Only the highly visible items that will cause panic among the masses will be cut. There, take that you ungrateful mongeral dogs!
Meanwhile...
Around 1996 I read some interesting statistics provided on the LAUSD web site. At that time over 1/3rd of it's students were the children of illegal immigrants. At that time the LAUSD budget was $9 billion dollars. By now I'm sure it's closer to 10-12 billion, perhaps more.
What I don't get is this. We know where unsupportable spending is going. Schools, healthcare, and other monetary subsidies for illegal immigrants continue unabated. If they don't get the money, all students or healthcare benificiaries suffer. Do we deport or do we all take it in the shorts so they can stay? Ahem...
Mr. President. Mr. Governor. Get off your asses and do your duty.
Gray Davis, cut the liberal programs you've instituted since coming to office. That'll get you a long way toward balancing your budget big fella.
"State Senator Tom McClintock makes the worthwhile suggestion to require the state budget to grow no faster than the combined rate of inflation and population. If such a spending limit had been in place over the last three years, state spending would still have grown by 13 percent, but instead of a $12.4 billion deficit, the state would be enjoying a $28 billion surplus."
--- pacificresearch.org
It's not revenues, it's spending.
Californians should hold their hands over their groins and keep a constant vigil for Davis over their shoulder.
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