Oct 27 2010
California Budget Overly Optimistic, Leaves Behind Child Healthcare
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a budget for the state of California on October 8th, one hundred days into the fiscal year, ending the longest budget stalemate in the state’s history. As in previous years, a major battle over the budget caused an impasse that had direct and immediate impacts on the ability of government agencies to provide services. Since California is one of three states in the nation requiring a two-thirds super majority to pass the budget, balancing the books often turns into a bitter partisan battle with the Republican minority holding out their voting bloc for spending cuts and business tax breaks. Proposition 25 on next week’s ballot would require only a simple majority to pass the budget. According to a new LA Times/USC poll, the measure has 58% support among likely voters. The state budget eventually signed for this year after much wrangling was subjected to the Governor’s line-item veto. Schwarzenegger cut over a billion dollars in spending from the General fund and reduced special and bond funds by well over $100 million. His cuts will eliminate the state program called CalWORKs’ “Stage 3” child care effective November 1. The California Budget Project, a non-profit, non-partisan organization, analyzed the budget including the Governor’s line item vetoes.
GUEST: Jean Ross, Executive Director of the California Budget Project.
Read more at www.cbp.org.
One Response to “California Budget Overly Optimistic, Leaves Behind Child Healthcare”
As someone who works in the field of Childcare/Preschool these cuts are going to do much more damage than good. Everyone knows it costs more to have people on welfare and cash aide then it does to simply assist with childcare. The ramifications of these actions are going to be bigger than the “Governator” thought. Simply by cutting these families we are now losing business. We will now have to cut our staff thus putting them in the unemployment line and perhaps putting them back into the welfare system. Not including the families who might have to cut their hours or lose their jobs because the lack of care. With the loss of kids and the loss of staff will come a loss in the services we use and the goods and groceries we buy because we will be using less and buying less. It is a domino effect that unfortunately can not be stopped unless something happens and funding is restored.