You can expect a lot of activity on the state budget over the next couple of months. Governor-elect Jerry Brown said earlier this week he hopes to have a spending plan in place within 60 days. Democratic Senate Leader Darrell Steinberg supports that goal.
“I think that the Governor-elect is going down the right path,” Steinberg said.
The state’s deficit may be as large as $28 billion and Steinberg said there’s no time to waste.
“The numbers are so significant and the absence of federal funds and the expiration of the temporary tax increases mean that we have to tackle this problem early in the session,” Steinberg said.
60 days is significant because that’s roughly how long lawmakers and the Governor have to act in order to put measures on the ballot in June. There’s talk of a special election to ask voters to approve tax increases or other revenues.
Brown releases his budget proposal early next month. He’s warned it will be rough.
