‘Cuts are coming,’ Jerry Brown says as he releases revised budget plan

The Sacramento Bee reports:

California Gov. Jerry Brown released a revised, $180 billion budget proposal Thursday that closely mirrors his January plan, maintaining a cautious approach amid uncertainty about the direction of the economy and possible federal actions that could hurt the state’s bottom line.

Thursday’s revised plan follows disappointing revenue numbers for April, the state’s biggest tax filing month, but reflects a small uptick in projected revenue from Brown’s January package. It puts $400 million into easing the burden on counties to pay for home-care services, while pulling back on an earlier proposal to freeze child-care provider rates. It also links more money for University of California to the system’s acting on recommendations in a scathing state audit.

Yet much uncertainty remains, Brown told reporters at the Capitol. The economy’s direction is unclear and Republicans continue to pursue efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, change tax law and take other actions that could hit the state hard.

“The world of Washington is changing by the hour. It’s very hard to predict what they will do. But we’ve got to be wary and prudent,” Brown said, warning about the economy: “Make no doubt about it, cuts are coming in the next few years, and they’ll be big.

Change is coming to Blue America.