Gov. Jerry Brown has proposed a state budget brimming with new revenues, but carefully socking part of the surplus away for a future economic downturn. He understands the impermanence of recovery. In fact, California has been the source of recent national fluctuations, from the dot-com bubble 15 years ago to the more recent housing bubble.
California is a single state, but many economies. The recovery of the entire state obscures the struggles of many regions and industries. Geographically, our economic divide has worsened. We have wealthy coastal enclaves and poor inland communities; a booming high technology sector and low-wage service businesses. Nearly a quarter of Californians still live in poverty.
We can agree on some of the long-term solutions, especially increasing educational opportunities for children in at-risk families. More immediate, however, is developing entry-level jobs for adults living in and on the edge of poverty, and higher-wage employment to open the doors to the middle class.
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