Wolk votes for budget, encouraged by bipartisanship

Budget includes funding for local transportation, schools, flood protection

SACRAMENTO–Assemblywoman Lois Wolk (D-Davis) announced today that the Legislature approved a $131 billion State Budget late last night that includes funding for education, transportation, public safety, and a variety of other programs in Yolo and Solano Counties.

“For the first time in six years, we have a budget that’s on time,” said Wolk. “But more importantly, we have restored funding to our schools, roads, law enforcement, libraries, and health care. This budget prepays roughly $2.8 billion of the state’s debt, including payments related to transportation, flood control, and local mandates. We’re making progress.”

2006-07 State Budget Highlights include:

Transportation

• Fully funds Proposition 42 at $1.4 billion, including $594 million for State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) projects.
• Early repayment of $1.4 billion Proposition 42 debt, with $440 million for each STIP projects, and local streets and roads.
• $630 million for State Transit Assistance (STA), which includes $248 million for local transit agencies.

K-12 Education

• A $4.5 billion increase in ongoing funding, and a onetime increase of $2.8 billion.
• An additional $350 million increase in discretionary funds to school districts in the form of revenue equalization—$433,5144 for Solano County, $218,4769 for Yolo County.
• $534 million in discretionary funds--$400 million in funds for schools and $133 to school districts, the latter of which can use funds to address declining enrollment.

Higher Education

• Maintains current U.C. student fees, and decreases community college student fees $6 per unit.
• $10 million for U.C. Telemedicine program enabling remote access to medical experts.
• $4 million for part-time faculty office hours, and $5 million for part-time faculty health insurance.

Flood Protection

• $35 million to implement a multi-year Central Valley flood management plan.
• $100 million for local flood control subventions.
• $8.8 million one-time allocation for repair of damaged levees and other infrastructure caused by the winter storms of 2005-06 on lands owned by Department of Fish and Game.

Environment

• $5 million one-time for wetlands and riparian habitat conservation.
• $250 million for State Parks deferred maintenance, and an additional $15 million for ongoing operations and maintenance for existing and new State Parks.
• $23.5 million for grants to local entities for watershed related projects.

Health Care

• $25.3 million Medi-Cal rate increase for Partnership Health Plan of California, which provides access to health care for Medi-Cal recipients in Solano and Yolo Counties.
• $1.1 million in funding to detect avian influenza in migratory birds.
• $214 million in one-time funding for the Department of Health Services’ preparation and response to a pandemic influenza.
• Up to $9 million for controlling West Nile Virus through mosquito abatement.

Public Safety

• $35 million to reimburse cities for booking fees paid to counties in 2005-06
• Over $338 million in local public safety funding for front line law enforcement and crime prevention programs.
• $5.5 million to support facilities and staff for up to 50 new judges.

“Democratic and Republican leadership in both houses worked together this year, setting aside partisan politics to pass a budget on deadline that serves the interests of all Californians,” said Wolk. “This budget improves funding for flood control, for our State Parks and over-burdened judiciary system. Both Yolo and Solano Counties benefit from this budget. On the whole, this was a good compromise.

“However, the budget is still out of balance. Yes, we had a $7.5 billion windfall, which allowed us to pay down this year’s deficit and create a $2 billion reserve. But come next year, it is estimated that California will fall into debt once again with a structural deficit California of about $5.3 billion. We have to exercise fiscal restraint while continuing to pay down the deficit.”

The budget now goes to the Governor’s desk.