In Monday’s State of the State address, newly elected California Gov. Jerry Brown defended his call for a special election in June, suggesting that state issues currently cannot be properly handled in Sacramento.
Brown criticized the state legislature, calling it “bogged down by deep differences,” and surmised that the way to get the state back on track was to bring the budget crisis before voters.
“Under our form of government, it would be unconscionable to tell the electors of this state that they have no right to decide whether it is better to extend current tax statutes another five years or chop another $12 billion out of schools, public safety, our universities and our system of caring for the most vulnerable,” Brown said.
Earlier this month, Brown unveiled his proposed 2011-2012 fiscal year budget, which included a $1.4 billion cut to California’s higher education system and an extension of income, vehicle and sales taxes to be put before California voters.
Both the California State University and University of California systems are facing $500 million cuts each as an effort to close the gap on the state’s $25.4 billion budget deficit.
The CSU, which includes San Diego State, is the nation’s largest university system, educating approximately 433,000 students.
SDSU President Stephen L. Weber called Brown’s proposal “somber news” and said the university will closely monitor the upcoming budget process.
“While it is too soon to determine the exact impact on our enrollment, declining state support is closing the door on thousands of deserving students,” Weber said in an issued statement. “California’s colleges and universities should be at the center of our state’s economic recovery but are instead struggling to serve more students with less state funding.”
Associated Students President Grant Mack called the proposed cuts both preliminary and “the best case scenario.”
“If we can’t extend the taxes, then I’m assuming the governor will be cutting more,” Mack said.
Student trustee Nicole Anderson sits on the CSU Board of Trustees and voted last November against tuition fee hikes.
She said that during the past few years, the CSU system has suffered from a lack of adequate funding and lowered campus morale in all California universities.
“With the magnitude of (Brown’s) proposed cuts, there will be no way around making major changes that will end up negatively affecting the students,” Anderson said. “It will be hard to find a way to preserve our quality
education while still maintaining the CSU as an affordable system of higher education.”
Assembly Higher Education Committee Chair Marty Block (AD-78) likes the idea of a special election but is still calling Brown’s budget plan “a heavy dose of reality.”
“It is very difficult to hear that a billion dollars will be cut from higher education programs at a time when our state needs more college graduates to boost our economy,” Block said.
Last week, President Barack Obama addressed the higher education issue in his State of the Union Address. He said that the U.S. has fallen to ninth in the proportion of young people with a college degree.
“The education race doesn’t end with a high school diploma,” he said. “To compete, higher education must be within reach of every American.”
ADD YOUR VOICE: What do you think of the budget plan? Tell us below!
