Introduction

This budget proposes the difficult but necessary steps needed to bring the state's chronic structural deficit under control, not only for this fiscal year but permanently. This is accomplished by (1) imposing strict spending restraint in the current and budget years while protecting and preserving essential state services and (2) proposing a Constitutional Amendment to reform the budget process so that state government has the tools needed to avoid spending more than it has in the future.


CHAPTER HIGHLIGHTS for Introduction Back to Top

 Origin of the Structural Deficit
 The Fiscal Crisis of 2003-04 and the Workout Plan of 2004-05
 Reforming the Budget Process, the Budget Stabilization Act
 The State Faces a $14.5 Billion Deficit in 2008-09
 Achieving Balance in 2007-08 and 2008-09


BUDGET OVERVIEW Back to Top
Budget-Balancing Reductions
In order to close the $14.5 billion budget gap, the proposed Governor's Budget includes 10-percent across-the-board reductions to all General Fund departments and programs, Boards, Commissions, and elected offices-including the legislative and judicial branches-except where such a reduction is in conflict with the state constitution or impractical. This statewide across-the-board reduction approach touches nearly every General Fund program in every department within each branch of state government. While these reductions present numerous challenges to implement, this across-the-board reduction approach is designed to protect essential services by spreading reductions as evenly as possible so that no single program is singled out for severe reductions. Reductions to General Fund budgets not under the control of the Administration are proposed as unallocated reductions. The unallocated General Fund reductions apply to the judicial and legislative branches of government and other entities such as the University of California and some very small executive branch entities.


PRINTABLE BUDGET DOCUMENTS Back to Top
Budget Summary - Introduction (pdf * - 231K) -
Provides this entire Introduction Chapter in pdf format.