2008 Woodie Awards
Governor Schwarzenegger's Budget Falls Short Again
Although education funding is receiving the largest spending increase in this year's proposed budget, many argue it is still not enough.
Tiffany Farmakis
Issue date: 2/23/05 Section: News
After an onslaught of funding cuts to higher education, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's 2005-2006 budget proposal advocates an increase in state funding of $380 million to the impoverished institutions.
State financing for UC, CSU and community colleges will increase between 5 and 5.5 percent over the next year.
"This budget is not everything that I want but the fact is, it's a budget forced on us by a broken system," the governor said in a press release. "As I said in my State of the State, last year we stopped the bleeding. This year, we must heal the patient."
Schwarzenegger inherited an unprecedented fiscal crisis when he took office. According to state officials, this year's budget is another installment in the Governor's plan to restore California's economic health.
Education funding is receiving the largest spending increase in the budget.
"K-14 education funding will increase by $2.9 billion. Out of that is $2.4 billion for Prop. 98 alone," Schwarzenegger said at the press conference announcing his budget. "K-12 per-pupil spending will grow by $362. Higher education spending will increase by more than $380 million."
Prop. 98, a 1988 ballot initiative, designates 40 percent of all general fund money to schools.
Officials say the fund increase means more room for would-be college students, including 5,000 additional full-time at UC, 8,000 at CSU and 34,000 community college students.
Hanna Skandera, undersecretary of education for Gov. Schwarzenegger, said the administration has made funding to community colleges an extra priority. Community college students have been hit the hardest with the double-digit fee increase and according to Skandera, the governor has included an extra $20 million in this year's budget to assist high school graduates headed for community college.
"I think more students will be able to have an education now that there's more funding available to community colleges," said Valley College student Monique Rendon. "I have a grant that's helped me a lot, especially since the fees are so high now."
State financing for UC, CSU and community colleges will increase between 5 and 5.5 percent over the next year.
"This budget is not everything that I want but the fact is, it's a budget forced on us by a broken system," the governor said in a press release. "As I said in my State of the State, last year we stopped the bleeding. This year, we must heal the patient."
Schwarzenegger inherited an unprecedented fiscal crisis when he took office. According to state officials, this year's budget is another installment in the Governor's plan to restore California's economic health.
Education funding is receiving the largest spending increase in the budget.
"K-14 education funding will increase by $2.9 billion. Out of that is $2.4 billion for Prop. 98 alone," Schwarzenegger said at the press conference announcing his budget. "K-12 per-pupil spending will grow by $362. Higher education spending will increase by more than $380 million."
Prop. 98, a 1988 ballot initiative, designates 40 percent of all general fund money to schools.
Officials say the fund increase means more room for would-be college students, including 5,000 additional full-time at UC, 8,000 at CSU and 34,000 community college students.
Hanna Skandera, undersecretary of education for Gov. Schwarzenegger, said the administration has made funding to community colleges an extra priority. Community college students have been hit the hardest with the double-digit fee increase and according to Skandera, the governor has included an extra $20 million in this year's budget to assist high school graduates headed for community college.
"I think more students will be able to have an education now that there's more funding available to community colleges," said Valley College student Monique Rendon. "I have a grant that's helped me a lot, especially since the fees are so high now."
