Jerry Brown is going two for three -- he's got the support of the public and he's got good prospects in the Legislature for his policy agendas. Next up: the state's university systems.
From the LA Times' Anthony York: "Gov. Jerry Brown said he will attend meetings of the University of California Board of Regents and California State University Board of Trustees later this month to pressure the systems to change their ways and hold the line on student tuition."
"Brown made his comments at a news conference Thursday where he unveiled a new spending plan that includes a combined $534 million increase to the two systems over last year’s budget."
"Those increases fall short of the amount the UC Regents have said would be necessary to prevent tuition increases for the fall semester. But the governor made clear Thursday that he would do everything he could to get the board, on which he serves, to hold the line on fee hikes."
Gov. Brown unveiled his 2013-14 state budget blueprint and the signals were positive -- more money for schools, a nagging dreficit in remission and a solid fiscal outlook. But not everything was rosy -- otherwise what's a news report for?
From Capitol Weekly's Greg Lucas: "But there are strings for those at the receiving end of the dollars. And one major suprise: Money intended for 'green energy' programs, as voters decreed in Proposition 39, is going to schools."
"The third budget presented by the 74-year-old Democratic governor is the first in a decade in which tax revenues collected cover the state's spending commitments. Although not by much.
Brown’s budget shows cash coming in exceeding checks going out by less than $900 million. He wants to add a $1 billion reserve, more than two-thirds of it generated by maintain a fee on hospitals and taxing managed care plans operating within Media-Cal, the state’s health care program for the poor."
"Right now, for the next four years, we're talking about a balanced budget. We're talking about living within our means. This is new. This is a breakthrough," Brown said.
(Ed's Note: For the official budget document, click here.)
California's judiciary, already sapped by deep budget cuts in recent years, got more bad news when the governor offered his latest spending plan. But things could have been worse.
From the Howard Mintz in the Contra Costa Times: "The state's court system, from its 58 trial courts to the California Supreme Court, would secure about $3.1 billion in the 2013-14 budget, dampening the hopes of judicial leaders who wanted to restore some of the roughly $1.2 billion in funding slashed from the judicial branch during the past few years. The good news for the judicial branch appears to be that the net result of moving money around is that the trial courts will have a bit more money to work with in 2013-14."
"But Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, while relieved the court branch isn't being cut further, said she will now press her case with the governor and Legislature to restore some of the hundreds of millions of dollars lost in recent years, citing court closures, cuts in services and other strains on the California justice system."
"This is January, not June," she said Thursday. "We'd like to keep the dialogue open. This budget doesn't answer our problems and our challenges."
There are lots of things in the budget, but at least one thing is missing -- money for the new medical school at the UC Riverside.
From the Press-Enterprise's Jeff Horseman and Richard K. DeAtley: "Educators are happy the governor wants to steer more money to schools and universities, but court officials are not pleased with funding cuts, and one state legislator questions why there’s no money listed for UC Riverside’s medical school."
"State Sen. Richard Roth, D-Riverside, said he was “very disappointed not to see specific funding identified” for the medical school, where classes for the first group of 50 students are set to begin this fall."
“There is an immediate need for more doctors to provide critical health care services to our residents and to all of California,” Roth said in a news release. “I look forward to working with my colleagues in the California State Legislature and with Governor Brown to fully fund the UCR Medical School as the budget process now moves forward.”
Speaking of schools, education advocates saw sinister motives in Brown's comments relating to state-local partnering in school construction.
From Kimberly Beltran in the Cabinet Report: "Brown’s January budget narrative, released Thursday, ominously references the notion that it might be time for the state to reconsider its long-standing commitment to raising and managing billions of dollars in debt for school facility projects."
“Currently, there is no bond authority remaining in the core school facilities new construction and modernization programs,” Brown’s fiscal staff reported. “As a result, now is an appropriate time to engage in a dialogue on the future of school facilities funding. Central to this discussion must be a consideration of what role, if any, the state should play in the future of facilities funding.”
"Brown’s budget writers go on to condition the future participation of the state “in the context of other competing education and non‑education priorities and needs,” and on a desire to give local officials “appropriate control of the school facilities construction process and priorities.”
