Gov. Brown seeks ‘permanent’ funding for Medi-Cal, infrastructure

In announcing the budget deal with the Legislature, Governor Jerry Brown announced two special sessions to deal with transportation and Medi-Cal funding. Call them the “special tax sessions.”

In the press release announcing the sessions, the governor stated that the sessions were to “find more adequate funding for our roads and health care programs.”

The governor asked for “permanent and sustainable funding to maintain and repair the state’s transportation and critical infrastructure.” He also wants “permanent and sustainable funding to provide at least $1.1 billion annually to stabilize the state’s General Fund costs for Medi-Cal,” some of which would be used to meet the demands of programs Democratic legislators sought funds for in the current budget such as In-Home Supportive Services.

At the governor’s press conference announcing the budget deal, reporters asked Gov. Brown about his first term (third term?) campaign pledge to only seek tax increases with approval of voters. Gov. Brown’s answer indicated the pledge only applied to his first term.

Add it all up and there will be a push for tax or fee increases to support the governor’s call for “permanent and sustainable funding.” Discussions will revolve around gas taxes and a higher car tax or maybe a mileage fee for transportation; perhaps an increased cigarette tax and other health care taxes for Medi-Cal.

Brown might hope for support from the business community for the transportation and infrastructure fix. Those issues have been of on-going concern to business.

Still, the large influx of dollars in the current budget and the talk of tax proposals that may end up on next year’s ballot will only increase the anxiety of businesses and taxpayers alike, and could result in stalemated special sessions.