Orange County First 5 Group Lawsuit Fights Funding Shift
The Children and Families Commission of Orange County has filed a lawsuit challenging legislation (AB 99) that would shift $1 billion statewide away from the First 5 program's early childhood development services to health care programs. Funding for the First 5 program -- which uses cigarette tax-generated revenue to fund early childhood health and education programs -- was approved by voters in 1998 through Proposition 10. Three other counties have filed legal challenges to the funding shift, and more counties also could do so.
- "First 5 Commissions Sue Over State Budget" (Lin, California Watch, 4/12).
- "OC Children and Families Commission Files Suit To Stop Cuts" (Wood, Voice of OC, 4/11).