[calcowgirl]

From the Legislative Analysts Office analysis of the Governor's proposed budget (source):

Recommend Legislature Repeal Proposition 49

We continue to recommend the Legislature enact legislation placing before the voters a repeal of Proposition 49 because (1) it triggers an autopilot augmentation even though the state is facing a structural budget gap of billions of dollars, (2) the additional spending on after school programs is a lower budget priority than protecting districts’ base education program, and (3) existing state and federal after school funds are going unused.

In the 2005-06 Analysis, we recommended the Legislature repeal Proposition 49. We continue that position, recommending that the Legislature place the repeal of Proposition 49 before the voters on the June 2006 ballot for the following reasons: (1) it triggers badly timed autopilot spending, (2) the program is a lower priority than other K-12 needs, (3) the program may crowd out K-12 spending on higher priority programs, and (4) Proposition 49 funds are not likely to be spent in a timely manner.

Autopilot Spending Badly Timed. Proposition 49’s intent was to give after school programs the first call on additional General Fund revenues. Since its passage, the fiscal environment has changed significantly—with the state struggling through several consecutive years of budget difficulties. The state continues to face a significant budget problem with a multibillion dollar structural budget gap for the near future. Moreover, the autopilot formula that triggers Proposition 49 creates additional spending obligations without the Legislature and Governor being able to assess the merits of the augmentation compared to other budget priorities

(snip)

[calcowgirl]

The biggest critic of Schwarzenegger's program is not a Democrat, but nonpartisan Legislative Analyst Elizabeth G. Hill... She recommends repealing Prop. 49, but realizes this is virtually impossible. So she suggests either a delay or a phase-in over several years.

Schwarzenegger is dead set against a delay.

Says Bonnie Reiss, Schwarzenegger's senior advisor and former executive director of his pre-gubernatorial after-school programs: "It would be a mistake to delay it. This amount of money, relative to the [$125.6-billion] budget is so small…. Now more than ever the extra $426 million is critical to helping schools keep their doors open" [after hours].

Ms. Reiss sounds like the good liberal she is. What's 1/2 billion in the scheme of things?

[Czar]

But one more from a laundry list of reasons to view anything proposed by Austrian Arnie with deep suspicion.

[kellynla]

This is a complete waste of taxpayers' money!

We already have an after school program,
it's called HOMEWORK!
gezzzzzzzzzzzz...

[FOG724]

Somebody break out the fiscal conservative Kool-Aide quick.