UNITED STATES NEWS

5 Things to Know about the California Budget

Jan 10, 2013, 8:12 PM

(AP) – Highlights of the California budget plan Gov. Jerry Brown released Thursday:

1. BUDGET DEFICIT GONE

Brown’s $97.6 billion general fund budget for the next fiscal year eliminates the massive shortfalls of the past few years and instead includes an $850 million surplus.

2. WHY THERE IS MORE MONEY

Brown has pushed austerity and forced cuts throughout state government. Also, California voters approved the governor’s November ballot initiative to increase the state sales tax for four years and income taxes on those making more than $250,000 a year for seven years, generating $6 billion in additional tax revenue.

3. HOW IS THE MONEY BEING SPENT

K-12 schools will receive $2.7 billion more and now account for nearly 60 percent of all general fund spending. The University of California and California State University systems each will receive $250 million.

4. BIG IDEAS

Brown wants to redistribute some education money so school districts in poorer communities and those with high levels of English-learner students receive proportionally more than districts in wealthier communities. Brown says such a shift is needed because of growing inequality between rich and poor.

5. BUDGET THREATS

The governor listed a number of factors that could undermine his budget plan, including uncertain action by Congress to raise the federal debt ceiling, potential increases in health care costs and whether courts or the federal government block some of his proposed spending cuts.

(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

United States News

Associated Press

Stock market today: World shares advance ahead of key US jobs report

European and Asian shares were mostly higher Friday ahead of a report on U.S. employment that is expected to show the economy remains strong despite a prolonged bout of high interest rates. Oil prices and U.S. futures were higher. Germany’s DAX gained 0.3% to 17,958.12 and the CAC 40 in Paris rose 0.5% to 7,950.67. […]

4 hours ago

Associated Press

Nearly 2,200 people have been arrested during pro-Palestinian protests on US college campuses

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Police have arrested nearly 2,200 people during pro-Palestinian protests at college campuses across the United States in recent weeks, sometimes using riot gear, tactical vehicles and flash-bang devices to clear tent encampments and occupied buildings. One officer accidentally discharged his gun inside a Columbia University administration building while clearing out protesters […]

7 hours ago

Facial Recognition...

Associated Press

Senators push to limit government’s use of facial recognition technology for airport screening

A bipartisan group of senators wants restrictions on the use of facial recognition technology by the Transportation Security Administration.

9 hours ago

Authorities arrested a man suspected of killing 1, injuring others...

Associated Press

Authorities arrest man suspected of fatally shooting 1 person, wounding 2 others in northern Arizona

On Thursday, authorities arrested a man suspected of killing one person and wounding two others on the Navajo Nation.

10 hours ago

Associated Press

A former Milwaukee election official is fined $3,000 for obtaining fake absentee ballots

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A former Milwaukee election official convicted of misconduct in office and fraud for obtaining fake absentee ballots was sentenced Thursday to one year of probation and fined $3,000. Kimberly Zapata, 47, also was ordered to complete 120 hours of community service. Prosecutors charged Zapata in November 2022 with one felony count […]

11 hours ago

Associated Press

Maui sues cell carriers over wildfire warning alerts that were never received during service outages

HONOLULU (AP) — Had emergency responders known about widespread cellphone outages during the height of last summer’s deadly Maui wildfires, they would have used other methods to warn about the disaster, county officials said in a lawsuit. Alerts the county sent to cellphones warning people to immediately evacuate were never received, unbeknownst to the county, […]

13 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

...

Condor Airlines

Condor Airlines can get you smoothly from Phoenix to Frankfurt on new A330-900neo airplane

Adventure Awaits! And there's no better way to experience the vacation of your dreams than traveling with Condor Airlines.

...

Midwestern University

Midwestern University Clinics: transforming health care in the valley

Midwestern University, long a fixture of comprehensive health care education in the West Valley, is also a recognized leader in community health care.

(KTAR News Graphic)...

Boys & Girls Clubs

KTAR launches online holiday auction benefitting Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley

KTAR is teaming up with The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley for a holiday auction benefitting thousands of Valley kids.

5 Things to Know about the California Budget