How the Legislature Proposes to Cut Welfare by $1.1 Billion

Of the approximately $12 billion in spending reductions proposed by the Legislature in its budget, $1.1 billion fall on the 1.4 million Californians – two-thirds of them children – who receive aid under CalWORKs, the state’s welfare program.

Gov. Jerry Brown’s January budget plan contained $1.5 billion in cuts to welfare recipients, including a 13 percent reduction in monthly support checks and a limit of four years – instead of five – for parents and children to receive assistance.    Read more »

More

A Tidbit from the Controller’s Redevelopment Agency Audit

FINDING 4 — Most Redevelopment Agencies Charged Expenditures That Were Questionable can be found on Page 9 of State Controller John Chiang’s audit, released March 7, of 18 large and small redevelopment agencies around the state.

As an example of such expenditures, the audit cites the City of San Jose which charged 25 percent of the salary and fringe benefits of the mayor, the 12 members of the city council and 40 city council staff members to the redevelopment agency.    Read more »

More

Controller Releases Findings of Redevelopment Agency Audit

SACRAMENTO – State Controller John Chiang on March 7 released the results of a five-week, limited-scope review of 18 redevelopment agencies across the State of California.

The Controller found no reliable means to measure the impact of redevelopment activity on job growth because redevelopment agencies either do not track them or their methodologies lack uniformity and are often arbitrary.    Read more »

More

Unemployment Rate in January Down Slightly to 12.4 Percent

SACRAMENTO – California nonfarm payroll jobs increased by 12,500 in January, with 5 of 11 industry sectors showing gains, according to data released March 4 by the California Employment Development Department from two separate surveys.

The unemployment rate was 12.4 percent, following an annual revision of monthly employment estimates.

The U.S.    Read more »

More

Redevelopment Agency Information From the Public Domain (Click on More)

   Read more »

More

How Many Jobs Do Redevelopment Agencies Actually Create?

According to a report issued December 31, 2010 by the state Controller, California’s 425 redevelopment agencies created 14,723 jobs during the fiscal year running from July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009.

The information is contained in an annual audit of the agencies conducted by Controller John Chiang. The agencies provide him with the information.    Read more »

More

Battle Continues Over the Future of Redevelopment Agencies

A special 10-member, two-house committee began its work February 23 reconciling the differences between spending plans crated by the Senate and the Assembly.

They could be done within days.

Not because an estimated $26 billion gap between state spending commitments and revenue isn’t vexing but because there aren’t many large differences between the two budget plans.    Read more »

More

Senate Wants to Cut Aid to Utility Ratepayers in Budget Plan

Among the strategies employed by the state Senate to close California’s $25.4 billion budget hole is a legally questionable $162 million cut in energy efficiency programs paid for from the Gas Consumption Surcharge Fund.

The fund is created by a fee on residential and commercial users of natural gas.

An annual review of the surcharge is conducted by the Public Utilities Commission, which can then raise or lower the amount.    Read more »

More

A Little Too Much Heavy Breathing Over Spending on Swag?

(Editor’s Note: Gov. Jerry Brown issued this press release today:)

 

Governor Brown Eliminates “S.W.A.G” Memo bans state spending on key chains, stress balls, ashtrays, t-shirts and other “freebie” items

SACRAMENTO – Governor Jerry Brown’s administration today directed all state agencies and departments to stop spending taxpayer dollars on free giveaway and gift items—such as key chains, coffee mugs and squeeze toys—as part of continuing efforts to cut costs and tackle the state’s budget gap.    Read more »

More

How Gov. Jerry Brown’s Special Fund Loan Proposal Works

To replace the bulk of the $1.2 billion in one-time revenue lost by his cancellation of the Schwarzenegger administration’s proposed sale of 11 state office buildings, Gov. Jerry Brown proposes borrowing $830 million from 48 funds whose cash comes from fees and not general tax revenues.

Brown would transfer the reserve money in the 48 accounts to the cash-starved general fund while leaving enough cash on-hand for the normal operation of the entities the funds pay for – plus a one-month cushion.    Read more »

More