05/05/2024

Democratic Lawmakers Largely Give in to Jerry Brown on Budget

One day after state lawmakers passed a budget that did not reflect agreement with Gov. Jerry Brown, legislative leaders on Tuesday abandoned significant parts of their proposal and announced a deal with the governor.

The accord includes slightly more spending on education and social service programs than Brown originally proposed – but significantly less than Democratic lawmakers sought.

In announcing the agreement, Brown said the deal preserves his general fund revenue forecast and overall spending levels, a major concession by legislative leaders to the fourth-term governor. Total general fund spending of $115.4 billion was only $61 million more than Brown originally proposed, not the $749 million more that legislative Democrats wanted. The total budget, including all funds, was set at $167.6 billion.

Brown also announced that he is calling two special sessions – one to address health care, the other to discuss funding road and other infrastructure repairs.

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