Brown budget projects $2 billion deficit, calls for more savings
Gov. Jerry Brown preached prudence on Tuesday as he unveiled his 2017-18 state budget, proposing no new major spending programs while taking a wait-and-see approach to the incoming Trump administration, even as other prominent California Democrats brace for the unknown.
The budget showed a $2 billion deficit — modest by historical standards, but worthy of the lawmakers’ attention — caused by an increase in government programs over the last few years and lagging revenues.
Brown said he didn’t want to “repeat mistakes of the past,” recalling the days of the state’s budget crisis. The proposed budget showed approximately $8 billion in the Rainy Day Fund by the end of 2017-18, which is 63 percent of the constitutional target, which Brown said was bigger than it seemed as he called for greater savings now.
Independent analysts, as well as Brown’s budget experts, have cautioned against the state’s over-dependence on the wealthiest residents to fund the government. Brown lauded the state’s “progressive” tax system, where people with the most pay the most. But he said it also requires prudence.
“It doesn’t make sense to pretend we have money when we really don’t,” Brown said.
Trump
Recently, many prominent Democrats staked out positions as Trump antagonists, in interviews and even with the Legislature’s hiring of former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder. Brown took a more measured approach by saying money wasn’t moved around to certain areas in anticipation of Trump, but left the door open for the May budget revision.
Brown seemed confident that the Affordable Care Act, which has expanded coverage to millions of Californians, wouldn’t go anywhere, noting that any repeal-and-replace proposal would have to get Democratic support in the Senate and that cutting health care for millions of people would be political suicide for Trump.
Transportation and housing
In response to the ongoing infrastructure funding woes, Brown proposed a “road improvement charge” of $65 per vehicle. In other car-related news, the gas tax will increase 2.1 cents per gallon automatically.
As for housing, one of the other major unresolved issues facing the state, Brown proposed to re-appropriate an unused $400 million in funding for housing that was set aside in the last budget.
The budget does send $3.2 billion to local municipalities for affordable housing projects, but Brown said more needed to be done to spur housing development by cutting red tape, cutting delays and cutting “whatever expenses we can do without.”
“We have to bring down the cost structure of housing, not just subsidize,” Brown said.
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Meanwhile his train to no where continues to waste money…
As the deficit gets worse, expect the bald pedophile toi blame President Trump. i am all for shooting down a climate spaceship launched by the buttbanger state.
Easy Fix:
Moonbeam and his cohorts should just ask the 2 million highly coveted Illegal Aliens in the State to cough up $1000 for Deficit Reduction.
Problem Solved
The states in a mess and dose meenbeam still want his bullet train and will he use intimate domain to seize private property
What? A Deficit? That can’t be, the stock market has been on a tear since the Trump has been elected. You just wait until April 2017 when all the rich people ensconced along the SF Peninsula and Beverly Hills/Bel Air etc. have to ” pony up” to keep my home state afloat. Bread and Circuses for the masses!!
For a governor who preaches prudence he sure hasn’t shown much. Even worse, his toadies in the Cali media constantly say what a spendthrift and miser he is with the people’s money.
The facts speak otherwise. When Brownie took over in 2010 the budget was approximately 125 billion. The latest budget is about 177 billion which is about a 42% increase or over 6% per year. This is for combined general and special fund spending. I did not include federal spending and money pouring into the state for Obamacare Medi-cal which is exploding under the ACA farce.
Figures are from the Dept of Finance with the link below.
http://www.dof.ca.gov/budget/summary_schedules_charts/documents/CHART-B.pdf
The point of this is that if this buffoon has ever showed budget restraint or frugality, I’d sure hate to see what a real big spender might do.
Good point, Ricky65. Governo Jerry Sandusky is treated too well by the media. Why is never pictured with children? It appears he avoids. He has stuck it up the Goldem state Bear’s ass just like the other Sandusky did the kid in the shower at Penn State.
OK, Mikey now you got me wondering about something I never thought about Brownie.
Over four decades of being a Cali politician and totally screwing up California, I’ve never seen this bozo pictured with a child or kissing a baby like a normal politician.
And he did drop out of Jesuit school as a young man. Maybe he was bending over the choir boys.
Could be that’s why his handlers keep him away from little kids.
@ Mike and Ricky 65: Comments like what you have just made are why this site has continually gone downhill since Mr. Seiler left. There is nobody to monitor your verbal slop. No decent person would want to discuss anything with you! I’m not sure either of you are not still in your teens!
Poor Hee Haw. Precious little snowflake just had her favorite ox gored.
Get back to work you government cubie drone and quit trolling the internet on my dime!
Touche. I am retired and not a snowflake. I had a private office.
Juniors
What you problem? Writing filth……are you disturbed….mommy made you leftovers……..women socialization issues…..passed for promotion…..beat as a child……closet time…..ran out of salt at your pretzel dressing station at a low ender mall
Cut the trash talk…..CWD is respectable and trashing posters with porno talk is disgusting…..sad.
Seesaw is the one who said blowjobs in the oval office were ok. i guess thar means it is ok for Jerry to shellack a 12 year old soprano.
I said no such thing. I don’t address those type of things–and you were told that! You are as bad as the others–your daughter must be proud! CWD needs a monitor–fast!
Classic liberal lefty.
Ban the speech you don’t like to hear.
Just beneath the surface of every lib you’ll usually find a mini dictator..
Its called dignity–something you would not know about.
No pictures of Governor Sandusiy holding babies “helping” Mother Teresa. How is that possible?
Ex. California Governor Jerry Sandusky wearing a NAMBLA tshirt at the next Democratic Convention. ” Embrace Diversity, Hug a pervert” on back of t shirt.
That is California values.
are you proud of your postings…..did you ever set good example, enjoy life success, get your children’s thumbs up for your positiveness….
Think it out…..sinking into slime is not t way to go…
And learn the proper ways of defference, curtsy and ring kissing of your elected leaders.
My Dad is a great role model.People like seesaw are incredibly stupid, intolerant, and just mean. I hope that person
ends up in a Senior Medical center where there is a guy named Louie that urinates on food every day, before seving it to the residents
“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree”.
i don t want to discuss family but you began this. “Your mother sucks cocks in hell.”
You make such a lovely father-daughter pair–I’m sure you are respected everywhere you go! Stay classy there–
Love that talk of a 20% employeed reduction at the federal level in some departments. We need same in California, money saved could be split among Latino population to give them a real living wage.