This week, Governor Brown released his revised budget plan for the 2013-14 fiscal year. With the Governor projecting a $2.8 billion budget surplus in the current fiscal year and a $1.8 billion shortfall in the 2013-14 fiscal year, it is not a license to overspend and commit the spending mistakes of the past. Instead, the Legislature should use this surplus as an opportunity to protect education funding and save for the future.
The Governor has proposed a controversial reform that would change the way the state gives money to local school districts. It would create one pot of money for all schools and give each school district a basic student allocation of about $6,800 a year. Districts with low income and “English-learner” students would receive additional money in addition to the basic allocation. While I believe the Governor’s concept has merit, it creates winners and losers in our state without enhancing accountability. All schools need the adequate resources and flexibility to serve their students best and we should not shortchange one school to benefit another.
My colleagues and I hope the Governor will listen to our concerns in the coming weeks. On higher education funding, I agree with the Governor that we must protect our college students. That is why my Republican colleagues and I have stepped forward to keep the dream of an affordable higher education within reach, such as freezing tuition at all public colleges and restoring full Cal Grant awards for thousands of college students.
Despite a budget surplus, California needs an effective spending limit and rainy day fund to guard against future economic downturns. There is a measure that would establish those tools in the November 2014 ballot (Assembly Constitutional Amendment 4-2010), but the majority party is proposing a watered-down alternative. Failure to enact such common-sense reforms will ensure that future economic downturns will create severe budget deficits yet again. Our state must learn the budget lessons of the past.
As budget negotiations move forward, I will continue to fight for a fiscally-responsible budget that reflects the people’s priorities. To stay up to date with the latest developments in the California budget debate, visit the "California Budget Fact Check" website at cabudgetfactcheck.com.
