California Budget Coverage

Many California Democrats and progressive groups want to reinvest in programs devastated by years of budget cuts now that the state’s revenue outlook has improved.

California’s non-partisan budget analyst says the state’s structural deficit is gone. The new projection: a surplus of more than $2 billion by the end of the current fiscal year next June.

State Sen. Ron Calderon issues a statement prompted by the bribery allegations against him in a leaked FBI affidavit - but doesn't address the allegations themselves. Also, October turned out to be a strong month for state budget revenues.

California programs and services wouldn’t take a big hit from a federal government shutdown, at least not at first. But state budget watchers still say California has a lot to lose from the standoff in Washington.

After nearly two weeks of sniping back and forth, Calif. Gov. Jerry Brown and Senate Leader Darrell Steinberg have reached a deal on their competing prison plans in response to the federal court order that requires California to reduce overcrowding.

California Governor Jerry Brown has signed a bill that increases the rights of transgender students at public schools. Also, a Republican lawmaker wants Brown to call a special legislative session on prisons. And California revenues had a slow July.

A second agency has upgraded the state of California’s credit rating. Fitch Ratings now gives California an “A” – up from an “A-minus.”

California’s new education funding formula sends more dollars to disadvantaged students – with new strings attached.

California homeowners who saw their property taxes plunge along with their homes’ market values during the recession could get some sticker shock when their next tax bill arrives. The bad news for homeowners is good news for state and local budgets.

California Governor Jerry Brown has signed legislation to overhaul a controversial tax break for companies that hire workers in low-income communities. He also signed a key labor pact and a measure to provide health care to the working poor.

Governor Jerry Brown’s labor deal with California’s largest state workers union is now all-but-official. SEIU Local 1000 says 90 percent of its members voted to ratify the contract.

For the second year in a row, California is charging rural homeowners a special fee for fire protection. The bills are coming a bit later than planned, but they are on their way. he fee's critics are as angry as ever and still hope to overturn it.

The Standard and Poor’s rating agency likes most of what it sees in the new California state budget. But S&P analyst Gabriel Petek says the spending plan takes a step backwards by not paying down as much debt as Gov. Jerry Brown originally proposed.

Governor Jerry Brown’s budget guru is resigning after more than three years as head of California’s Finance Department. Katie Orr reports from Sacramento.

California's new state budget is now law. Governor Jerry Brown has signed the $96 billion general fund spending plan for the fiscal year that will begin on Monday, with very few line-item vetoes.

California Governor Jerry Brown’s proposal to eliminate the controversial Enterprise Zone tax break has squeaked through the Assembly with the bare minimum two-thirds vote.

There was a sense of celebration as Governor Jerry Brown signed the California budget today, especially among health care advocates.

The California Senate has passed an Assembly bill that would roll back changes to the state’s Public Records Act.

California’s trial courts are set to receive an extra $60 million in the new state budget that takes effect next month. The money is designated to help improve access to courts that have slashed hours and resources or shut down completely.

After a week filled with controversy over a provision in the state budget package that would have gutted the California Public Records Act, Gov. Jerry Brown and Democratic legislative leaders all say they support short- and long-term fixes.

After an angry outcry from the public and press, California state lawmakers are backtracking on provisions that would weaken California’s Public Records Act.

The days of tedious memorization and multiple choice tests may soon be a thing of the past for California students. The state is beginning to implement an entirely new way of teaching known as the common core curriculum.

The California legislature has approved the 2013-14 state budget bill – one day before its constitutional deadline to send a spending plan to Gov. Jerry Brown. Debate will continue Saturday on some of the budget's accompanying "trailer" bills.

California lawmakers and Governor Jerry Brown reached a budget agreement this week. A small number of areas won restored funding for next year - dental care was one of them.

Lawmakers will begin voting on the California budget tomorrow . But Republicans say they’ll also have to vote on several bills they know little about.

A new California law could make it more difficult to get public records from local governments.

School districts in California will receive varying amounts of money under the state’s new school funding plan. And attitudes about the plan vary as well.

California's largest state workers union says it's reached a tentative deal with Gov. Jerry Brown's administration that calls for a 4.5 percent pay increase for its members over a three-year contract.

It wasn’t too many years ago California could barely get a budget passed. But things are different this year.

With California’s budget deadline drawing closer and revenues rising, the air around the Capitol is filled with the cries of people calling for the state to restore past cuts. But Governor Jerry Brown is insisting on frugality.

California Governor Jerry Brown and Democratic legislative leaders appear to have reached a budget deal days before the legislature’s constitutional deadline.

With just over a week to go until the California legislature’s June 15th constitutional budget deadline, Senate Leader Darrell Steinberg says he’s “relatively confident” a deal will be reached in time.

A top California union leader says “the fight is on” now that Governor Jerry Brown’s administration has rejected state worker pay increases in contract talks. The union's new tough talk comes against a Democratic governor they’ve long supported.

With revenues in California improving, court advocates say it’s time to start restoring year’s worth of budget cuts to state trial courts.

California lawmakers are 15 days away from a deadline to pass a budget, and this week they also faced a deadline for passing bills from one house to the other. They took action on hundreds of measures including the minimum wage, and plastic bags.

California counties and Governor Jerry Brown don’t agree on what to do with more than $1 billion counties spend on health care for the poor once the new federal health law kicks in next year.

California Governor Jerry Brown and Democratic lawmakers now have three budget proposals from which to work towards a final deal. The Assembly spending plan approved Tuesday joins proposals from the Senate and the governor.

Gov. Jerry Brown dismisses the conflicting revenue projections between his administration and the Legislative Analyst's Office. Republicans pick up a State Senate seat previously held by a Democrat. And the state cracks down on distracted driving.

As budget talks head into their final weeks, supporters of programs suffering from years of cuts are asking for help. Gov. Jerry Brown opposes any new spending. But Assembly and Senate Democrats have different programs in which they'd like to invest.

California’s non-partisan legislative analyst says the revenue projections in Governor Jerry Brown’s latest budget proposal are too pessimistic – by more than three billion dollars. That’s already prompting some calls to increase spending.

California Gov. Jerry Brown says K-12 schools will benefit from one-time influx of cash, and expects the state budget to be balanced for the foreseeable future, as he unveils his revised 2013-14 budget proposal this morning. Updated 1:04 p.m.

Following the revised budget release by Governor Jerry Brown, former Legislative Analyst Steve Boilard offered his assessment of the speech.Boilard is now Director of Sacramento State University’s Center for California Studies.

California’s revised budget released by Governor Jerry Brown today calls for a state-led expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. But it comes with a proposal to change the financial responsibilities of counties.

California is expecting to end the fiscal year with a few billion dollars more than anticipated. Governor Jerry Brown is proposing spending the money on schools, but not much else.

Governor Jerry Brown is expected to release a revised budget proposal Tuesday. Health policy professionals are eager to hear administration’s latest thinking about the expansion of Medi-Cal.