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January 5, 2009 — When the governor began talking about “solving” the ballooning state budget deficit late last year with billions of dollars in cuts to education and other vital public services, CFT President Marty Hittelman said that the only way to implement such huge reductions would be to close the schools early.
In a confirmation of Hittelman’s prediction, Schwarzenegger opened the new year with an early look at his proposed state budget for 2009-2010. Acknowledging the need for increased taxes along with his massive cuts, the governor’s proposal includes a 1.5% sales tax bump, additional taxes on previously untaxed services, an excise tax on oil production, and borrowing. It also calls for a one-week reduction in the school year.
It is unknown at this point whether the proposal will make headway in the state Legislature. Leading Democrats are opposed to the level of cuts in social programs the governor is suggesting, and the Republican legislators remain stuck in a mindless mantra of “no new taxes.” Click here for a summary of the governor's proposal by the independent California Budget Project.
Budget deficit balloons to potential $40 billion by 2010
December 15 — Each day the state Legislature fails to come to agreement, a bigger financial hole is opening up beneath California. But once more the legislative democratic process has been stymied by the state's arcane requirement for a two-thirds, instead of simple, majority vote.
The governor has compromised, calling for taxes in addition to cuts. The Democrats have compromised, reluctantly agreeing to cuts along with taxes. But Republican Legislative leader Villines publicly interpreted his party's loss of "only" a couple more seats in the November election—leaving them barely hanging on to a third of the Legislature—as a mandate to continue blocking any and all tax increases.
When the votes occurred last month in the Assembly and Senate, efforts toward a compromise solution including both revenues and cuts foundered along party lines. After stalling for months, the Republicans, on December 15, finally revealed their "plan" to resolve the state budget deficit: no new revenues (the only "revenues" come from stealing state monies allocated to aiding mentally ill people and children who need health care), and $22 billion in cuts.
These cuts include $10 billion to public education, a fifth of the entire education budget. Nearly all the Republicans in the Legislature have signed a "no new taxes" pledge. CFT president Marty Hittelman says, "It is irresponsible for people elected to make decisions about the state budget to tie their own hands."
Mid-year cuts totaling billions of dollars to the K-14 budget is impossible to make without closing schools at some point in the year or simply not running schools on Fridays. CFT will be asking all members to press for long term permanent funding sources to adequately fund education and other critical needs.
Click here to find out about progressive revenue options, and what you can do to convince your legislators to move in that direction.
Click here for a San Francisco Chronicle article on the Republican plan.
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