LA Times: Schwarzenegger cuts $500 million more as he signs budget

Los Angeles Times ^ | July 28, 2009 1:57 PM PDT, | Michael Rothfeld and Shane Goldmacher

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press

Schwarzenegger discusses the $85-billion revised state budget before signing it at the Capitol today.

Calling the budget the 'good, the bad and the ugly,' the governor reduces funding to programs for children's welfare and healthcare, the elderly, and AIDS treatment and prevention.

Reporting from Sacramento -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger today signed a budget plan approved by lawmakers to close the state's monumental deficit, using his veto power to impose nearly $500 million in additional cuts.

The new reductions will affect child welfare and children's healthcare, the elderly, state parks, and AIDS treatment and prevention beyond the dramatic cuts that were part of the deal Schwarzenegger negotiated with legislative leaders.

The state Senate's Democratic leader disputed the governor's authority to make those cuts, but Schwarzenegger's aides said they were proper, and the governor said they were necessary.

"This has been a very tough budget, probably the toughest since I have been in office here in Sacramento," the governor said. "This budget is kind of like the good, the bad and the ugly."

The good, Schwarzenegger said, was that the plan does not raise taxes and includes changes he says will make government more efficient, such as reorganizing and abolishing some boards and commissions.

[WKUHilltopper]

He’s only got 25.5 billion left to go...

[Hi Heels]

But keep that 12.8 billion to the illegal aliens rolling right along now...yessir. It’s “insignificant”.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

FR Thread from the Sacramento Bee:

Schwarzenegger signs budget fixes

[CAluvdubya]

Could’ve save more money if those cuts were made to the illegals services....

[NormsRevenge]

budget fixes.. lol

other people’s money (OPM) is the narcotic of ne’er do well politicos..

[calex59]

BUT, he didn’t eliminate useless enviro spending and didn’t eliminate every useless department he could find from the budget either. He has a line item veto, he could have red penciled many of the useless BS departments making them effectively dead, instead he chose to do as politicians have always done, cut the stuff that is bound to make many taxpayers scream for a tax increase. I don’t think it will work this time. All these jerks need to be thrown out of office.