Sacramento – Assemblymember Chris Holden (D-Pasadena) released the following statement on Governor Brown’s revised budget plan:
“As California’s economic outlook continues to improve, Governor Brown’s revised budget recognizes the need to provide additional funding for public education and California’s low-income wage earners.
The Governor’s new state tax credit for the working poor will benefit some 2-million working Californians by helping to move them out of poverty. It’s a big step in aiding working families and moves money into our local communities.
This budget reverses the severe cuts that our K-12 schools endured during the recession and means our school districts will see restoration of per pupil funding and an increase for preschool and childcare.
It’s a good sign that the University of California will implement a 2-year tuition freeze for California undergraduates. The Assembly has been holding hearings critical of the University for threatening tuition rate increases while increasing the number of out-of-state students. The Assembly will continue to pursue those issues as a condition of increased funding for UC.
Among the provisions in the budget, is $2 million earmarked for a pilot program to provide incentives to community colleges and the CSU to coordinate remedial instruction programs for incoming CSU students. It’s what I’ve been saying all along with our bill (AB 288) to expand pathways for high school students who want to enroll in college courses in order to better prepare for college-level studies.”