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Proposed state budget cuts hit schools, workers hardest
February 12th, 2009, 4:00 pm · 41 Comments · posted by BRIAN JOSEPH, Sacramento Correspondent
The so-called “framework” Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders have crafted to address the state’s $42 billion budget relies heavily on cuts to education, state workers and the poor, elderly and disabled.
In all, the plan calls for more than $15 billion in spending cuts, which are outlined in detail below.The cuts span state government, from the judiciary to public health, but 90 percent can be attributed to five areas: education, public transportation, SSI/SSP, state employee pay and shifting funds from special voter-approved measures to other government services.
That’s right — fund shifts, not cuts. By my reading, more than a half a billion dollars, or about 3.5 percent, isn’t cuts at all but rather savings achieved through shifting dollars, delaying payments or reducing debt service.
The single largest cut is to K-12 eduction: $8 billion, or 57 percent of the cuts. Second highest is the continued furloughs of state employees, plus changes to employee overtime rules and the elimination of two paid holidays. That will save the state $1.4 billion.
Here’s the cuts:
| CUTS | 2008-09 AND PRIOR | 2009-10 | 2-YEAR TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proposition 98 (Education) Cuts | $5,646,500,000 | $2,955,200,000 | $8,601,700,000 |
| Twice a month furloughs of state employees, reforming of overtime regulations for state workers, eliminating two paid holidays for state employees | $375,800,000 | $1,024,300,000 | $1,400,100,000 |
| Proposition 98 (Education) Fund at Current Year minimum | $746,900,000 | -$36,100,000 | $710,800,000 |
| Raid state First 5 (Proposition 10) Commission balances, redirect 50 percent of state, local funds to children’s programs through 2013-14 | $0 | $608,000,000 | $608,000,000 |
| Eliminate pass-through of federal cost-of-living adjustment for Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payments | $79,800,000 | $487,300,000 | $567,100,000 |
| Eliminate public transit money for local transit agencies | $153,200,000 | $306,400,000 | $459,600,000 |
| Eliminate UC and CSU compact funding | $0 | $427,600,000 | $427,600,000 |
| Additional Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payments cuts* | $0 | $267,800,000 | $267,800,000 |
| Higher Education cuts across the board | $132,200,000 | $132,200,000 | $264,400,000 |
| Temporarily fund Early Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment programs with Proposition 63 (mental health) funds | $0 | $226,700,000 | $226,700,000 |
| Redirect Caltrans tribal revenues to General Fund | $100,800,000 | $100,800,000 | $201,600,000 |
| Savings from lower debt service costs | $0 | $200,000,000 | $200,000,000 |
| Medi-Cal cuts* | $0 | $183,600,000 | $183,600,000 |
| Cut 10% of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation medical budget | $0 | $180,800,000 | $180,800,000 |
| CalWORKS grant reducations* | $0 | $146,900,000 | $146,900,000 |
| Eliminate price increase for state agencies | $0 | $136,000,000 | $136,000,000 |
| Permenant cuts to court system | $0 | $109,300,000 | $109,300,000 |
| Cuts to public safety grants for local governments | $106,800,000 | $0 | $106,800,000 |
| Cut additional 7.1% of Department of Developmental Services’s Regional Center service provider payments | $0 | $100,000,000 | $100,000,000 |
| Unallocated cuts to courts* | $0 | $100,000,000 | $100,000,000 |
| Additional higher education cuts across the board* | $0 | $100,000,000 | $100,000,000 |
| Cut cost for start-up of retirement contributions in higher education | $0 | $95,700,000 | $95,700,000 |
| Defer 2009-10 payment of 15-year payment plan | $0 | $91,000,000 | $91,000,000 |
| Cut 3% of Department of Developmental Services’s Regional Center provider payments and operations | $24,600,000 | $60,200,000 | $84,800,000 |
| Eliminate July 2009 cost-of-living adjustment for CalWORKS: | $0 | $79,100,000 | $79,100,000 |
| In-Home Supportive Services cuts* | $0 | $78,000,000 | $78,000,000 |
| Delay new judgeships* | $0 | $71,400,000 | $71,400,000 |
| Variouis items | $0 | $69,700,000 | $69,700,000 |
| Cut capitol outlay statewide | $0 | $50,000,000 | $50,000,000 |
| Cuts to CalWORKs’ Pay-for-Performance Incentive (incentive pay) program | $0 | $40,000,000 | $40,000,000 |
| Senior Citizens’ Property Tax Deferral Program, which allows eligible homeowners to defer payment on residential property taxes | $6,500,000 | $32,000,000 | $38,500,000 |
| Eliminate trail court State Appropriation Limit and state Judiciary growth adjustment | $0 | $36,700,000 | $36,700,000 |
| Cuts to Child Support automation project | $0 | $36,100,000 | $36,100,000 |
| Eliminate June 2010 state cost-of-living adjustment for Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payments | $0 | $27,000,000 | $27,000,000 |
| Eliminate July 2009 Medi-Cal County Administration cost-of-living adjustment | $0 | $24,700,000 | $24,700,000 |
| Cover Americans with Disabilities Act complaince funding with Proposition 84 (water quality) money | $11,000,000 | $8,000,000 | $19,000,000 |
| Delay funding for the Judiciary’s Conservatorship Program | $0 | $17,400,000 | $17,400,000 |
| Cuts to the Los Angeles Eligibility, Automated Determination, Evaluation and Reporting (LEADER) projecdt | $0 | $14,600,000 | $14,600,000 |
| Eliminate Governor’s Office of Planning and Research’s Cesar Chavez Day Grants | $1,500,000 | $2,500,000 | $4,000,000 |
| Eliminate State Appropriation Limit for the Governor’s Office | $0 | $200,000 | $200,000 |
| Proposition 98 (Education) Public Transportation Account/Mass Transportation Fund shift for home to school transportation | -$618,700,000 | -$272,000,000 | ($890,700,000) |
| TOTAL | $6,766,900,000 | $8,319,100,000 | $15,086,000,000 |
| *Cut may be reduced or eliminated with funds from federal stimulus package |
Posted in: Assembly • California Legislature • Gov. Schwarzenegger • Senate • State budget • meltdown
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41 Comments
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DENA BUNIS, Washington bureau chief, 202-628-6381 or dbunis@ocregister.com
CHRIS KNAP, Politics team leader, 714-796-2240 or cknap@ocregister.com
BRIAN JOSEPH, Sacramento correspondent, 916-449-6046 or bjoseph@ocregister.com
JENNIFER MUIR, County government reporter, 714-796-7813 or jmuir@ocregister.com
MARTIN WISCKOL, Politics reporter, 714-285-2867 or mwisckol@ocregister.com twitter.com/MartinWisckol
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This is outragous, we get hit with a 42 Billion debt becuase political officials can’t spend wisely. Govt should be treated like a business, if you “lose” or spend irresponsibly, you are fired and may need to repay some of that money.
Sorry, I dont care about our schools or our poor in California. This state has taken so much of our money that WE no longer care to help…sorry!
Glad my children are out of school (last one graduates this year). California schools have been rated near the bottom, just above states like West Virginia and Louisiana, for a few years now. Well folks looks like the only thing separating those states from California now is inbreeding. What a shame. Hope that the children going to school in the next couple of years know where West Virginia is when the finish school.
No, the biggest losers will be the tax payers of this state (the poor don’t pay taxes). It is beyond comprehension how these idiots in Sacramento get re-elected year after year. People…wake up and quit voting for these bozos. Everybody (not just the rich) will get hit hard by these new tax increases. How they think they can get away with this in one of the worst recessions in decades is absolutely unbelievable.
The headline reads, “Students & the Poor are Biggest Losers in Tax Cut.” Duh. Who pays the least in taxes? Students & the poor. Who uses most of the government services? Students & the poor. The rich (most of them, anyway) have money because they worked hard for it. The bleeding heart enablers can’t stand it, so they fight to have the rich pay more in taxes to “equal the playing field.” Where’s the incentive to work hard and produce more? Gone. Sounds more and more like socialism to me. If you like to sit on your ass and have the government run your life , move to a socialist country. I’ll stay here and work my ass off, and keep the government out of my life. Thank you. I feel much better now.
All I do is pay. What do I get in return? I don’t have kids that use schools, but people that do have kids that use schools get to use their kids as a tax deduction, so they pay less than me for a service that I don’t even use. Make parents pay something for their kids to use schools. People have a right to have kids, but with rights, come responsibilities. Step up parents, I’m sick of paying for you kids.
Think of it this way - if a person gets an education, that person can get better jobs, which offer benefits, and sick leave. That means less of YOUR tax dollars wasted on MediCal, and unemployment. You can’t control how much tax money is wasted on such benefits, but we can reduce the numbers of people who will need to utilize them by providing the opportunities for higher education to more people.
boo hoo the state wasted tons of money and now there has to be cuts. Boo hoo guess what I’m not going to pay 1400 more in taxes. I don’t have kids and don’t want to pay for yours.
The plan relies MORE heavily on tax increases and borrowing! Don’t try to make this out as cutting too much. The State should immediately begin the process to lay off 100,000 workers and cut additional funding of illegal alien education, healthcare, and other benefits.
kalifornia, the terminator, your jobs how it feel suckers
The real losers are the poor taxpayers who are going to be stuck with higher income taxes, property taxes and sales taxes. After seeing twenty years of government waste, I feel no pity for state programs that are not funded.
Looks like the biggest losers are the legal citizens while the biggest winners are the illegal aliens.
I dont see one cut on here that will harm illegal aliens.
This chart that you presented is junk. I want to know what each received last year, this year and what was projected for next year and the cuts that would be affected. From what I have been reading elsewhere, wht they are calling cuts is actually reducing what they projected to receive next year. That is not a cut. Sincwe our governor and the dems have been in office, each year spending has been going up over inflation and population growth. Cut it.
Lets take the buses that will be taken out of service at the local transit agencies and park them in front of the Social Services office. Let the state police officers that are furloughed stand at the door and check to see how many applicants are here legally. If no ID, then load them on the bus and give them a free trip back across the border. A great reallocation of services.
cuts to education, state workers and the poor, elderly and disabled not one cut to welfare illegals free meals to the illegals free medical for the illegals. Is Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Obama having a contest to see who can screw the taxpayer the most.
you people complain about paying more and more to live in california. you know u have a choice, MOVE out!!
You may not have children in school and feel it is not your duty to educate the children who are-however, it is these children who will become your employees, employers, and lawmakers within a few very short years. They will be the decision makers and the careproviders you will rely on as you age. Do you really want their education to suffer even more than it already does due to lack of funding? We need to DEFEND public education, not DEFUND it.
Cuts in welfare to illegals (or as the newspaper says, “undocumented immigrants” now starting in Sacramento County a few other counties in the North of the state, I’m praying it starts soon in SoCAL
Cliff, you mean the YOU no longer care to help educate children and help the poor. How small of you.
Our kid goes to college in 9 years so for 9 more years we will stay in Mexifornia and then we are leaving to escape the high taxes and insanity…many of our higher income friends have the same plan. I wonder how will the state continue collect taxes when the only inhabitants left are illegals and people like “Octomom”?
Not even nearly enough cuts here. What a joke !
I think welfare needs to be stopped for women who feel they can keep having babies with no worries because they know the state will be for them. (Hence the women with 8 new babies because she wanted to be loved. Cheaper to seek help)
Why should the kids who go to school get the raw end of the deal? I have friends who are teachers and they tell me how bad it is for them. I feel for them and wish the best for them. Teaching is hard and on a budget, it’s even harder….
About the loss of two paid holidays; please the state will now have 11 instead of 13. I don’t think they should be closed two days with out pay, but I’m sure there is somewhere pay can be “capped” with higher ups. Maybe they should take a look on how much are spending in the office. I know that other offices really watch all that and keep tabs.
Cuts should not be made to those who protect the citizens. Firefighters and police are needed to keep the order. They deserve every penny and more for what they do.
And they did all this without making one cut in the legislatures perks.
Ahnold is a colossal failure on all counts. I didn’t vote for him and am proud of that fact, because all he has ever done is seek to screw state employees and he has finally succeeded. Well, screw you, Ahnold. Good luck with your career after your Governator gig is over. Something tells me your career will be kaput. As it should be. You can just skulk back to your mansion and live out your life on the Kennedy money, having a grand ol’ time, leaving all of the people who run this state struggling in your wake. You and W. should spent eternity together in hell.
Twice a month Furloughs. Good. State employees already get 14 paid holidays, not including the standard xmas, easter and thanksgiving.
Bet you did’nt know that State workers also get a guaranteed pension until they die with cost of living increases.
Why don’t they start with death row? They could do alot of cutting there, plus free up afew more cells.
We need to amend the constitution of the US. Children born to illegals in the U.S. should not be awared american citizenship. Why are politicians so fearful of the so-called “rights” of people who do not belong in the U.S.?
I didn’t see any cuts for the fat cats in the legislature, who have proven time and time again that they can lie and steal with the best of them. Our roads rot because funds are “borrowed” from transit funds; other special funds, created by the PEOPLE of California are “borrowed” with a “promise” to repay.
Those fools have done nothing but prove time and again that their only objective, once elected, is to get RE-elected, and when they term out, find another spot at the public trough at which to feed.
If I didn’t have a grandchild in California I’d be out of here soooo fast!
Leave the money in the schools. Our kids are the future of California. We can earn income by slightly taxing junk food, fast food, alcohol and tabacco. Cut welfare and put even more restrictions on it. Fine people on welfare using the emergency room as a walk in clinic. Wake up Sacramento!
Agreed johnb, let’s line-up the death row inmates and “process” them as sentanced. There is no way these people should be on the row for decades. There should be a 3-year appeals period, max. The sooner the better for execution.
For Cliff and Matt - too bad you don’t care; you got yours for which others paid. The leaders of tomorrow will come from these we undereducate today. And why should you care if the poor or illegal run around commiting crimes and passing illnesses; can you afford the prisons and medical bills for yourself? Real “Christian” of you both.
The guaranteed Pension comes from the individuals’ own pockets. It’s not given by the state or taxpayers. 8% of a state employee’s earnings are taken out automatically and invested. These employees don’t have a choice of how much to contribute like 401k programs. If everyone invested 8% of their paycheck from the day they start working until the day they retire 62 they would have a nice pension too. But most people spend more than they make and can’t keep up with the pretense that they make bank. Now they are bitter at those that save responsibly and have more real assets. Just take a look at people’s garage and you can tell if they have money in their bank. From what I see in my neighborhood, I would say 90% just have junk in their garage (toys, tools they don’t use, stupid Xmas gifts, etc) and front yard (boats, jet skis, campers, etc. ) and debt to their bank.
If you want to cut inmate medical you need to cut inmates out of the picture. What the politicians didn’t tell you while they were creating a podium of fear, that it will cost you to pay them as a politician to tell you that a shop lifter is a potential murderer, was that it was going to cost a decent education for your children.
Lift the BS wool of your eyes people and remember that a politician are no better than a used car salesperson. Quit being a lamb led to the slaughter.
Harsh, but face it, it is the truth.
Wish you older folks had looked out for my generation and preserved. No rainy day funds, no controlled spending, I’ve been in the work force since I was 15 and now that my kids are entering the school system they are getting nothing but funding cuts which translates to class size reductions, outdated technology, rationing of school supplies, and forget about fixing the copier when it breaks. My wife’s a teacher, I have to vent, because now I am spending more then ever out of my personal pocket trying to give these kids the bare minimum.
Do me a favor and voice your opinion and write your senators instead of complain on a this page. Seriously another 56% worth of cuts on top of what has been cut these last few years.
Yes I pay taxes, and Yes I vote at every election, and no I did not vote for the terminator.
Why do you only show the cuts?
WHY DON’T YOU SHOW THE TAX INCREASES AND BREAK THOSE DOWN FOR US TOO?
You are supposed to practice ethical journalism. Give us both sides of the picture for gawd sakes!
ocobserver:
To be fair, Mr. Joseph has had several threads on the tax increases. Perhaps, instead of characterizing these “cuts” as heavy, he should have linked to those threads and simply stated “in addition to tax increases …”
I would like to see the total projections for an extra 1% sales tax, .12 cents per gallon of gasoline, etc.
I see that you asked for a line-by-line itemization on the proposed tax increases and borrowing on the OC Business thread. A very good point was made about businesses leaving California on that other thread. I wouldn’t be surprised if California takes in LESS total revenue based on the higher taxes than if they had left taxes alone (or, God forbid, actually DECREASED taxes to keep businesses here and help kickstart the economy). I am ready to move out of State too.
Everyone that say they don’t care about education cuts because their kids are out of school are so short-sighted. What about your grandkids? It’s attitudes like “I don’t care because it doesn’t affect me directly” that has deteriorted the quality of life in America.
If the Forefathers of America had that attitude, none of us would have the opportunities we have today. Make a difference. Before you ignorantly b*tch about something, learn the issue at hand from all angles, not just from what you hear in the news and from third parties. Reporters and others are just people, and they have agendas and may report what they want you to believe.
Don’t ever go slamming teachers. Your kids spend more time with them than they do with you. If you want your children and your children’s children to continue to be leaders, make sure education is the last thing that is cut.
Teachers that are being hired today have bachelors degrees and many have masters degrees in their field. They come to work and they are on day in and day out. Teachers ensure your kids get the education they need, and they also discipline the children as much as the system will allow.
Here’s what’s in the stimulus package:
“State Fiscal Stabilization Fund to avoid cutbacks and layoffs (82% must be used for education while 18% may be used for public safety and other government services. The latter part may be used for repairs and modernization of K-12 schools and college and university buildings.):$53,600,000,000″
So at least 82% but as much as 100% goes to education in that portion of the stimulus. But that’s not even the part of the stimulus called education spending. That’s another $48,420,000,000. So how will that affect the net education spending in California over the next two years?
In regard to “I don’t have kids so why do I have to pay for their education”? It takes an EDUCATION to teach future doctors, engineers, lawyers, pilots, mechanics, builders, etc.
Do plan to receive Social Security and Medicare some day? Who do you think is going to be paying your Social Security and medicare tab. What you’ve contributed over your working lifetime will not cover your total tab unless you plan to check out before age 70. Today’s child is tomorrow’s taxpayer, hopefully earning enough money to help take care of YOU in your old age.
We care about education. Our American Forefathers taught their children RIGHT at home. Illegal aliens don’t deserve American education.