Jerry Brown's cuts to California schools less than feared

SacBee: Capitol Alert ^ | 12/13/11 | Kevin Yamamura

[SmithL]

Gov. Jerry Brown will slash higher education, child care and school bus service, but he will largely spare K-12 classrooms from mid-year cuts under a revised budget forecast to be released at noon, sources said.

K-12 school districts were at risk of losing as much $1.5 billion - the equivalent of seven instructional days - under the budget Brown and lawmakers enacted earlier this year. But sources said they will face a smaller $70 million reduction, or about $11 per student. That should avert massive reductions in the school calendar or other drastic measures for most districts.

Districts will still face a $248 million elimination of school bus funding. And colleges, child care, libraries, counties and disabled services will all face the knife as well. Some cuts will be more immediate than others, based on how well positioned each program is.

University of California will absorb its $100 million cut by tapping reserves, and activists for disabled residents are challenging a $100 million cut to In-Home Supportive Services in court. But rural and low-income residents may lose free access to library services outside their home area, while some families could lose subsidized child care.

[SmithL]

The budget was make-believe from the start.

[ColdOne]

I will believe this when I see it. They always use schools, police and fire services to scare the public.

[Monorprise]

“University of California will absorb its $100 million cut by tapping reserves,”

What an increadable feet, getting a university to “tap its reserves” rather then demand more from the tax payers.

its irresponsible of the university to tap its reserves rather then simply control its own costs but it is nonetheless an amazing feet to get them do that instead of extorting the state for more from the public treasury.

No doubt the university is willing to do this because hes a democrat. They will demand more money from a republican to “offset” theses reserve losses”.

[Deo volente]

State pension shortfalls total at least $535 BILLION.

http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_14825623

There’s no money left. That’s the problem in California.
Now they want to raise taxes through the roof with as many as six new tax initiatives appearing on next year’s ballot. More companies will close up shop and flee the state, reducing revenues even further, as spending continues to increase.

It’s a black hole of big government, and the money to feed the beast is not there. Not even close.

[ColdOne]

I left California 6 years ago. It was pricey then. Our water bill was unreal each month not to mention SDG&E’s.

[umgud]

OWS expenditures will continue with unlimited funding growth.

[Karliner]

Must be all that free tuition given to illegal aliens..no that’s not logical but how the liberal mindset works. Gavin newsome must be a good con artist to make California and extension of baja . GGRRRRRR

[newzjunkey]

K-12 school districts were at risk of losing as much $1.5 billion... But sources said they will face a smaller $70 million reduction... Districts will still face a $248 million elimination of school bus funding.

So that $70m cut to the districts isn't $70 million at all it's more like $318m? Was the busing part of that $1.5 billion? This is some sloppy writing.

[Oatka]

The article from the World Socialist Wwebsite California governor to enact midyear trigger cuts contains this howler (underlines mine):
Brown’s alleged “balanced budget” was based on the prediction that the state would generate $4 billion in new revenue.
The Legislative Analyst’s Office has reported that the state will fall $3.7 billion short of Brown’s $4 billion prediction.

Nothing like being over 90% wrong on your budget predictions.