SACRAMENTO – The California Budget & Policy Center, a nonpartisan public policy research group, issued the following statement from Executive Director Chris Hoene in response to this morning’s release of Governor Jerry Brown’s proposed 2018-19 budget:
“The Governor’s proposed budget for 2018-19 reflects some notable advances. The budget calls for funding to fully implement the state’s Local Control Funding Formula, designed to direct additional resources to disadvantaged students, would continue to invest in early education and higher education, and would create a home visiting pilot program providing a range of supports for families participating in CalWORKs.
“The Governor’s proposal places a heavy emphasis on building California’s reserves. In light of potential changes on the federal front and other uncertainties, there’s reason for caution. Still, as the Governor and the Legislature work to craft a final spending plan, there’s room in this budget to strike a better balance between putting funds away for later and boosting state investment now to help more households to make ends meet and climb the economic ladder, especially in light of our state’s highest-in-the-nation poverty rate.
“Again this year, California’s budget debate will move forward amid many unknowns at the federal level. Many Republican leaders in Congress say they want to follow on their deeply flawed tax bill by prioritizing significant cuts to critical supports that help millions of Californians to get by. So while state lawmakers should work to advance smart policy choices that broaden economic opportunity, it is also absolutely critical that California’s congressional delegation push back against federal proposals that would harm people and communities across our state, especially with so many facing serious economic challenges.”
Webinar Briefing, Wednesday, January 17, 10:00 a.m.: Please join the California Budget & Policy Center for a webinar briefing on the Governor’s proposed 2018-19 budget on Wednesday, January 17, from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. Register here.
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The Budget Center plans to release our “first look” analysis of the Governor’s proposed budget later this week and will release further analysis and commentary in the days and weeks following that.
The California Budget & Policy Center engages in independent fiscal and policy analysis and public education with the goal of improving public policies affecting the economic and social well-being of low- and middle-income Californians. Support for the Budget Center comes from foundation grants, subscriptions, and individual contributions
