Vetoed Budget Shorted Schools by $1.3B, Controller Concludes
State Controller John Chiang has declared that the state budget sent to the governor was “incomplete and unbalanced.” Further, the controller has calculated that the spending plan provided $1.3 billion less to public education that is required by the minimum funding guarantee put in the state constitution by Proposition 98.
In a news release, the controller’s office noted, “The largest problem [in the legislative spending plan] involved the guaranteed level of education funding under Proposition 98. The June 15 budget underfunded education by more than $1.3 billion. Underfunding is not possible without suspending Proposition 98, which would require a
supermajority (2/3) vote of the Legislature.”
More information about the analysis can be found at the controller’s website http://www.sco.ca.gov/Files-EO/Budget_Analysis_Sheet.pdf.