Governor Releases May Revision: Warns that Trigger Cuts to Schools Could Rise to $5.5 Billion

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) – 15 May 2012 – Gov. Jerry Brown has just released his May Revision, his updated 2012-13 state budget proposal that shows public education has even more at stake in this November’s election.

Under terms of the revised budget proposal, Gov. Brown is warning that the automatic trigger cuts required if voters reject the governor’s revenue initiative will rise to $5.5 billion, up from the $4.8 billion originally projected.

 

“This is all real,” the governor said, referring to the cuts that will be needed if the revenue initiative fails. The governor also rejected the assertion that the proposed trigger cuts in schools reflected a political calculus to ease passage of the revenue measure.

 

“The fact is, schools are 40% of the budget, if you look at Prop. 98 it’s going up much faster than the rest of the budget, …that’s where cuts have to come,” the governor told reporters during a Monday morning news

The chart from the governor's May Revision illustrates the potential impact on schools of a new round of trigger cuts.

conference that is being televised and webcast by the Cal Channel.

“If we don’t get the taxes, schools will suffer. Depending upon how they do it…well, it won’t be pretty,” the governor warned.

The entire May Revision can be downloaded from The Governor’s May Revision