Budget Package Sent to Governor
Counties Generally Pleased with Stability Budget Provides
California’s Legislature worked quickly Wednesday afternoon to pass a $122.5 billion state budget to meet the constitutional deadline and picked up eight budget trailer bills earlier this morning for the 2016-17 budget package. CSAC is preparing a final Budget Action Bulletin that will be available later today to provide a comprehensive overview of the full budget sent to Governor Brown.
“California’s 58 counties are generally pleased with this budget and the stability it provides,” said CSAC Executive Director Matt Cate. “We applaud the Governor’s overall philosophy of adding to the State’s reserve fund and spending some of the revenue surpluses on one-time projects — as this can help meet the state’s most urgent needs without encumbering future budgets. We also recognize the need to support long-term programs that help our most vulnerable population, which will pay dividends for many years to come.’
“We look forward to continuing to work with the Administration, the Legislature and State Departments to ensure the final policy decisions tied to the budget appropriations produce stable, fiscally sound and equitable programs for local governments,” Cate said.
The 2016-17 budget package represents a mix of Governor Brown’s call for prudence and one-time spending with the Legislature’s priorities that commits general fund and special fund resources to ongoing programs. Specifically, the Rainy Day Fund is augmented by an additional $2 billion more than required by Proposition 2 and $1.3 billion is committed to state infrastructure projects including plans to update the aging Capitol Annex. The Legislature secured ongoing funding to repeal the Maximum Family Grant for families receiving CalWorks as well as ramping up funding for childcare and Pre-School services as well as K-14 schools.
Many of the top budget issues for counties were addressed in the budget plan including funding for jail construction grants and hard to site facilities, tree mortality resources, PILT, and group home reform. However, more work remains for the Legislature in the coming weeks and months to address the “No Place Like Home” housing proposal that relies on Prop 63 funding to provide permanent housing for persons who are mentally ill and homeless. The affordable housing streamlining and also cap and trade auction revenues remain open issues.