The California budget is 5.6% larger this year than last year. This no doubt comes as a surprise to most Californians who foolishly assumed that dire predictions of future financial problems coupled with already bludgeon-like spending cuts would mean Sacramento would be hard at work at making the budget smaller. But instead, it’s larger. Welcome to the Looking Glass World of the California Budget, where little is actually as it seems to be, and most everything is distorted too.
California legislators did pass a budget on time this year (so they will continue to be paid.)Â Except, it’s not really a budget, it’s a $92.1 billion ‘spending plan,’ whatever that is. Governor Brown may veto it and more than two dozen additional bills remain to be passed. These bills will contain the details as to how the balanced budget mandated under California law will be enacted. Gosh, I’m guessing that most California families when making a budget would endeavor to work out the details before announcing they have a budget. But Sacramento is taking the high road, apparently wishing to avoid dealing with such bothersome details.
More on the California budget at IVN.