Revisions likely mean Nightmare on L Street for CA's Social Services

by Brian Leubitz [courtesy of Calitics: Soapblox California - Front Page]

You know, a good slashing.  I actually spent a minute or so trying to come up with a better play on words.  But, now you're stuck with that.

The Spring Budget Revisions are always an eventful (see, I can be diplomatic) time. Last year, they were exciting the budget was flush with one time income taxes from a few atypical revenue sources.  So, off they went to spend. Woohoo! But this year...well it doesn't look so good.  Sales tax revenues are down, and we could be looking at lower than expected total revenues for the year.  So, Mike Genest, a GSPP alum, went about hacking social services and other expenditures from the budget.

I'm the Governor's finance director and on Monday he will submit the May Revision of his budget for next year.

Both he and I want to assure you that it is another fiscally responsible budget and just like he has always promised it does not raise taxes. ... We were able to do all this and more despite an economy that grew at a slightly slower rate than we had projected a few months back.

We did not slip back into the same old habits that got us into trouble years ago and we did not raise taxes.

Did he mention that they aren't raising taxes? 'Cause I just wanted to make sure you knew.  Arnold doesn't want to raise taxes. Or, IOW, Arnold has no plan to fix the structural budget deficit.  The May Revise will likely slash social services to those who need them, but we'll get more specifics this afternoon.  The California Progress Report is all over it.