Democrats Plan To Vote on FY 2005-2006 State Budget Proposal
Democratic legislators said they plan to call a vote on Wednesday on a fiscal year 2005-2006 state budget agreement that restores the state's contribution to wages for in-home care service workers for elderly residents and those with disabilities, the Sacramento Bee reports. The budget also would restore some state funding for welfare grants but is otherwise "similar" to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's (R) revised budget proposal, according to the Bee (Bluth, Sacramento Bee, 6/14).
Schwarzenegger in May proposed a revised fiscal year 2005-2006 budget of $115.7 billion. The May budget proposal would increase spending by $4 billion over Schwarzenegger's original budget proposal in January, reflecting increased state income tax payments, corporation taxes and the governor's tax amnesty program. Part of the increased revenue would be used to address about half of the state's estimated $8.6 billion budget deficit.
Schwarzenegger's proposal would address the remaining deficit through funding reductions and lower-than-expected health program caseloads (California Healthline, 5/16).
Democratic Legislators on Friday said they wanted to avoid being seen as blocking a state budget that is due to the governor by June 15 each year (Sacramento Bee, 6/14). They also said they will address education funding in "post-budget" legislation, according to the Bee (Delsohn, Sacramento Bee, 6/11).