SACRAMENTO — California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday proposed a $297 billion budget, prioritizing money to address homelessness and education while cutting some climate spending amid a projected $22.5 billion budget deficit. The proposed budget, which would take effect July 1, is about $9 billion less than the current fiscal...
California Budget Forecasts $15 Billion One-Time Windfall
SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom's $227 billion budget plan released Friday would turn a $15 billion windfall into economic relief as the state faces a rapid surge in coronavirus cases and deaths. His budget proposal comes as the state faces “a challenge the likes of which we never expected," Newsom...
Minneapolis Approves Cuts to Police Budget, Not Staffing
MINNEAPOLIS — The Minneapolis City Council unanimously approved a budget early Thursday that will shift about $8 million from the police department toward violence prevention and other programs — but will keep the mayor's targeted staffing levels for sworn officers intact, averting a possible veto. Mayor Jacob Frey, who had...
Despite Pandemic, California Analyst Forecasts $26 Billion Windfall Next Year
SACRAMENTO — California overestimated what it thought would be a jaw-dropping $54 billion budget deficit, creating a one-time $26 billion windfall for lawmakers to spend next year, the state's nonpartisan legislative analyst said Wednesday. The state's spending plan was upended this year by the coronavirus pandemic, which forced the closure...
California Budget Raises Business Taxes, Closes $54 Billion Deficit
SACRAMENTO — The California Legislature on Friday finished work on a state spending plan that closes a historic $54.3 billion deficit by temporarily raising business taxes, cutting funding to courts, colleges and state worker salaries, and delaying billions of dollars in payments to public schools. The $202.1 billion budget marks...
With City’s Finances Uncertain, Brand Calls for Budget Delay
The COVID-19 pandemic may have claimed a new victim — the city of Fresno's budget process. Mayor Lee Brand wants Fresno's budget to remain status quo beyond the June 30 deadline to pass the spending plan for the next fiscal year. Listen to this article: On Wednesday, Brand announced his...
Fresno Unified Projects Big Budget Cuts but No Layoffs
Dire financial times are ahead, not only for the next school year but likely several more as well, but no staff layoffs or pay cuts are being considered at this time, Fresno Unified deputy superintendent Ruthie Quinto said Wednesday night. Quinto provided an overview to trustees of the latest version...
Clovis Won’t Enforce State Nonessential Business Ban
The city of Clovis will no longer enforce the state's shelter-in-place order. That doesn't mean all businesses are cleared to reopen with impunity. But it does mean the city will no longer enforce the order or penalize businesses in violation — that will remain up to state and county authorities. The...
Dyer: Do Your Part and We Will Survive COVID-19
Jerry Dyer takes office as Fresno’s next mayor in nine months. Anticipating his Jan. 5, 2021 inauguration, Dyer is participating in city budget meetings with Mayor Lee Brand's team. He is fully aware of the type of challenging economy he will inherit. Dyer is helping the nonprofit community during the...
Trump's $4.8 Trillion Budget Proposal Revisits Rejected Cuts
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump unveiled a $4.8 trillion election year budget plan on Monday that recycles previously rejected cuts to domestic programs like food stamps and Medicaid to promise a balanced budget in 15 years — all while leaving Social Security and Medicare benefits untouched. Trump’s fiscal 2021 plan...