Davis Scraps Plan to Cut $25 Million from State’s Trauma Care Centers

Gov. Gray Davis (D) will announce today that he is withdrawing his proposal to cut $25 million from the state's 44 trauma care centers, a plan that had received "little support" from lawmakers, the Los Angeles Times reports (Tamaki, Los Angeles Times, 1/3). Facing an anticipated $12.4 billion budget deficit by June 30, 2003, Davis proposed in November $2.2 billion in spending reductions, including the trauma center cuts (California Healthline, 11/15/01). The decision to scrap the $25 million reduction was "welcomed" by lawmakers from both parties, who were "particularly critical" of the proposal. Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg (D-Sherman Oaks) said, "When we're looking at making all these budget cuts that could affect health care ... we have to make sure not to remove the safety net." Jan Emerson, spokesperson for the California Healthcare Association, added that the $25 million is an "important Band-Aid to help us get through the next year while we figure out what the longer-term solution will be." The Times reports, however, that $5 million in "seed money" for trauma care planning activities could still be eliminated. In addition, there has been "no indication" that Davis plans to reverse any other proposed health care cuts, including a plan to delay by nearly two years an expansion of Healthy Families. The postponement is expected to save the state $210 million (Los Angeles Times, 1/3).