Sacramento, CA – Today, Governor Jerry Brown announced his proposed May Revision Fiscal Year 2017-18 Budget. Revenues in Brown’s May Revision are up $2.5 billion dollars while the Rainy Day Fund grows to $8.5 billion. Assemblymember Chris Holden (AD – 41), California Legislative Black Caucus Chair, released the following statement:
“I applaud Governor Brown for restoring the $8 million Cal Grant award for students at private college and universities that was cut in January’s budget proposal. Today, African American students make up nearly 6% of all Cal Grant awardees in California’s private, nonprofit sector of higher education. The Cal Grant program is very important to both the African American and Latino communities, as well as other low income populations, to help provide opportunities to attend college.
The Governor’s May Revision is the next building block in finalizing the budget process. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the legislature, and Governor Brown, to pursue priorities of the California Legislative Black Caucus that includes:
- New Funding for Sickle Cell Treatment Centers
- New Funding for the Commission on Peace Officer Standard and training (POST) Officer Training
- Ongoing funding for the Umoja Community Higher Education Program
- New Funding for the California Department of Education Equity Performance and Improvement Team
- Ongoing funding for Child Death Review Teams”