California Budget Deficit Tops $25 Billion
SACRAMENTO (AP) — California's nonpartisan legislative analyst says the state's budget deficit has grown to $25.4 billion and is now more than a fifth of the general fund.
The gap reported Wednesday includes a $6 billion shortfall in the $86.6 billion general fund spending plan Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed on Oct. 8 and a $19 billion gap for the
upcoming year.
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Jessica Levinson, director of the Center for Governmental Studies talks with KNX 1070
Newly elected Gov. Jerry Brown will be forced to confront the problem when he is sworn into office in January. He faces a constitutional deadline to present a budget just a week later.
Legislative analyst Mac Taylor said he expects California to face annual budget problems of about $20 billion each year through 2015-16.
The massive deficit comes after successive years of deep cuts to California government.
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