Governor Signs $131B Budget
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) on Friday signed a $131 billion state budget but used the line-item veto to eliminate some health-related funding, the Sacramento Bee reports. The signing marks the first time in six years that a budget was approved before the beginning of a new fiscal year.
Schwarzenegger vetoed about $112 million in spending, compared with nearly $200 million in the last fiscal year. The cuts include:
- $10 million for hospital trauma care (Benson, Sacramento Bee, 7/1);
- $6 million, or two-thirds of the funding, for a plan to fight West Nile virus; and
- $2 million to provide preventive dental care to low-income children (Halper, Los Angeles Times, 7/1).
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Phil Angelides criticized the spending plan and projected shortfall, saying lawmakers and the governor could have to cut programs next fiscal year if revenue decreases (Gledhill, San Francisco Chronicle, 7/1).
The following articles also address the fiscal year 2006-2007 state budget:
- "Budget Helps Schools, Pays Debt" (Schultz, Fresno Bee, 7/1).
- "Arnold Signs On-Time State Budget" (Lawrence, AP/Los Angeles Daily News, 7/1).
- "Schwarzenegger Signs $131.4 Billion Budget" (Christie, Reuters/Washington Post, 7/1).
California's 2006-2007 budget is available online. Note: You must have Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the document.
"It is disappointing that a few legislators blocked what most policymakers and the public knows is good policy" by refusing to approve a state budget that includes $23 million for Healthy Kids programs, according to a Los Angeles Times letter to the editor by Wendy Lazarus, founder and co-president of the Children's Partnership. Lazarus writes, "Californians will have the opportunity to finish the goal of ensuring that all children have health insurance" by voting for the tobacco tax measure on November's ballot (Lazarus, Los Angeles Times, 6/30).
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