California lawmakers on Wednesday announced a joint budget plan that would restore some funds for homelessness and social safety net programs while cutting money from state prisons.
The spending proposal from Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, D-Hollister, and Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire, D-Healdsburg, would address the state’s estimated $45 billion budget deficit, but it differs in significant ways from the one Gov. Gavin Newsom presented earlier in the month.
Newsom proposed to cut some of the money for homeless people by $260 million. The proposed budget rejects this cut and instead wants to add $1 billion in free money for homeless people housing. To make up this money, the proposal plans to cut $1 billion dollars from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Newsom planned on cutting $80 million from the department, not enough for the progressive lawmakers in California.
The California lawmakers, and the Governor are playing games with the citizens of the state. The budget deficit is more accurately $73 billion dollars versus the $45 billion the politicians will admit. Cutting a billion dollars from CDCR will not remove the requirements placed on the agency to provide ever increasing amounts of free college, medical, and recreation programs for the inmates.
The state lawmakers expect CDCR to spend millions to provide the best in healthcare, college and trade schools, and fun recreation activities for the inmate population but refuses to fund these programs.
Rev Red