State Legislature Passes Budget

The California Legislature voted late Tuesday to pass the state budget, culling from social services, public safety and the state's university system, eliminating redevelopment agencies and ceding more responsibility to local governments, the Los Angeles Times reported. 

The plan also calls for cuts to the courts and the closure of 70 parks, a first ever, according to the Times. UC and CSU campuses will see a 23 percent reduction.

Assuming Gov. Jerry Brown signs it, the budget would close California's $9.6 billion budget deficit, relying in part on the state's sunny forecasts of $4 billion in additional revenue — but would trigger further cuts to K-12 education and social services if expected revenues are not met, according to the Sacramento Bee.

In that scenario, state-sponsored school buses would disappear and the academic year would lose seven days. 

The final spending plan did not include tax extensions that had been a linchpin in the plan Brown presented this January. Extending taxes would have required bipartisan support, support the third-term governor couldn't muster.  

Instead, state sales and vehicle tax hikes enacted in 2009 that Brown had hoped to extend will expire this week. The Times points out, there will be new, if more modest taxes.

Lawmakers hope that eliminating redevelopment agencies across the state, another hotly-contested core tenant of Brown's January plan, will bring in an additional $1.7 billion. 

Both the governor and lawmakers conceded that the budget won't solve California's protracted financial problems. But State Treasurer Bill Lockyer lauded the spending plan to the Times as a "very important step in restoring California state government to fiscal good health."

Curious how the new state budget will affect San Leandro? Check back with Patch for updates about the local redevelopment agency, school districts, and more.