State Budget

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Budget Down: Cram ‘Em in at UC-Davis

Byuclafaculty

UC Davis unveils major initiative to increase size of student body Sep. 21, 2011, Dale Kasler, Sacramento Bee Calling it a response to the dramatic drop in state funding, UC Davis’ chancellor today announced a plan to increase the campus’ undergraduate population by one fifth, one of the biggest leaps in years. The vision outlined by Chancellor Linda Katehi would swell the school’s undergraduate population to around 29,000 within five years. The total student population would rise to 37,000, surpassing Berkeley and making Davis the second most populous University of California campus, behind UCLA. Speaking at the annual convocation to…

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How Inevitable is the Budget Trigger?

Byuclafaculty

As shown above, there is bipartisan disapproval in the latest Field Poll of the budget cut trigger that was enacted as part of the 2011-12 California state budget. Of course, what the legislature enacts, it can amend or un-enact. Readers of this blog will know that the trigger includes more cuts for UC. Given voter sentiment, perhaps – if UCOP and the Regents – work on it, what happens if the trigger is pulled is not inevitable. There was much bemoaning by the Regents at their recently-concluded meeting about what to do and whether to accept a UCOP plan for…

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SF Chron Editorial on UC

Byuclafaculty

UC tuition no longer a bargain Sept. 14, 2011, San Francisco Chronicle Editorial Fed up with indecision and drift, the University of California is serving notice: Barring a miracle, tuition could nearly double over the next four years to more than $22,000. Don’t anyone miss the point: California’s finances and political priorities don’t favor higher education. That means the vaunted university system needs to fend for itself by asking students and their families to fill the gaps left by indifferent Sacramento. UC is at a tipping point… What’s under way is a shift in the university’s mission and character. It…

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Up, Up, and Away

Byuclafaculty

Under plan, UC tuition could rise by 16% a year Nanette Asimov, San Francisco Chronicle September 13, 2011 The University of California would raise student tuition by at least 8 percent – or as much as 16 percent – every year through 2016 under a plan that UC leaders will propose to the regents Thursday in San Francisco. Basic tuition could top $22,000 in just four years, not including other mandatory fees, books, room and board, if the regents adopt the idea at their November meeting as part of a multiyear budget plan. Undergraduate tuition is currently $12,192. UC officials…

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Settlement of Amazon War Could Lead to Budget Trigger

Byuclafaculty

You may have heard of the Amazon War regarding the state budget. Technically, when you buy on line, you owe sales tax to the state. But websites such as Amazon leave it to you to pay. And you don’t. As part of the recent state budget, an attempt was made to force Amazon and other sites to collect the tax due to the state. Amazon dumped a lot of money into an initiative campaign to reverse the budget deal on the sales tax. (There are some legal questions about such an initiative and in any case the legislature then tried…

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More on the state budget “trigger”

Byuclafaculty

As readers of this blog will know, the state budget for the current fiscal year contains a “trigger” for additional cuts – including UC – if revenue falls short of forecast levels. – – – September 6, 2011, Capitol Alert California Democrats getting nervous about trigger cuts Lagging tax revenues are making California officials nervous about “trigger” budget cuts to schools and services that appear likely unless more money flows into state coffers or the economic outlook improves. A newly amended Democratic bill would require the Department of Finance to give at least 10 days notice if it determines the…

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On the way to trigger

Byuclafaculty

The Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) released the following statement on its most recent projection of California state revenue. Translation: So far, it looks like the budget trigger will be pulled (which means more cuts for UC). Below is the text: Despite today’s weak national employment report for the month of August, preliminary reports from California’s tax agencies on personal and corporate income tax receipts for the month tell a “good news/bad news” story. On the one hand, the tax data indicates that the California economy is continuing to recover from the recession, albeit very sluggishly. This slow recovery is essentially…

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Yesterday was better

Byuclafaculty

Yesterday, I posted a note that a public pension initiative that might have gone somewhere wasn’t going anywhere. (See the “Failed Fishing” entry.) But today comes news of another that could go somewhere – because, whatever it is, will emanate from the governor. Some readers will recall that the governor – in failed budget negotiations with legislative Republicans – at one point seemed to be offering such things as $100,000 caps. Some will also recall that there was no sign, at the time, that the powers-that-be at UC were informing the governor that they wanted UC to be excluded. From…

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LAO Report on Infrastructure Includes Higher Ed and UC

Byuclafaculty

UCLA’s Westwood Campus under construction in 1927 —————————————————— The Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) has issued a report on state spending on infrastructure. Most infrastructure spending goes for programs other than higher ed such as K-12 and transportation. However, the higher ed segment of the report is reproduced below. Some portions of the text are in bold indicating they are of special interest. Note: There are some charts in the original that are not reproduced below. Go to the link at the bottom of this item to see the whole report including the charts. Higher Education California’s public higher education system…