Phew!

Governor, Legislative Leaders Agree on Budget Framework

6-21-2012

SACRAMENTO – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr., Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez and Senate Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg today announced an agreement on actions the Legislature will consider next week to finalize the 2012-2013 state budget. (Senate Republican Leader Bob Huff of Diamond bar and Assembly GOP leader Connie Conway of  Visalia?)

The conceptual agreement protects education, permanently reforms welfare and includes tough ongoing cuts. The Legislature will take final votes on the budget trailer bills in the coming days. (“Reform” being defined in the eye of the beholder — to say nothing of “conceptual”)

“This agreement strongly positions the state to withstand the economic challenges and uncertainties ahead,” said Brown. “We have restructured and downsized our prison system, moved government closer to the people, made billions in difficult cuts and now the Legislature is poised to make even more difficult cuts and permanently reform welfare.”

“For the second straight year, California will benefit by having a budget in place before the end of the fiscal year,” said Steinberg. “As always, the negotiations were tough, but we move forward together with a state budget that’s structurally balanced, setting us on the path to putting this nagging deficit behind us.”

“We have worked cooperatively and productively with the Governor and our colleagues in the Senate to put forward a budget that reflects the commitment we made in January to eliminate the deficit, protect education and put California’s fiscal house in order by our constitutional deadline,” said Pérez. “I am pleased the actions we will take in the coming days will see that important objective realized.”

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