“Republican leaders took a step backwards with the state budget proposal they outlined today. Filled with smoke, mirrors and risky borrowing schemes, this proposal would be a disaster for students, public schools and colleges. The Republican proposal cuts more than $5 billion from education and replaces ongoing money with one-time dollars, causing more deficit problems next year and putting the state's minimum school funding guarantee at risk.
“Locking in California education funding at the bottom of the nation is not budget reform; it’s a budget catastrophe that destroys our children’s future. The Republican proposal gives the governor the power to cut local school budgets in the middle of the school year, making it impossible for schools to function, meet the needs of students or attract and retain quality teachers.
“It’s time for state lawmakers to put politics aside, show some leadership and listen to voters by supporting a responsible state budget plan that includes some additional revenues to prevent even deeper cuts to education, healthcare and other vital services.”