The Sacramento Bee’s Kevin Yamamura is reporting that Democratic legislative leaders have been meeting with the governor over a new budget plan that would project an increase of $4 billion in state revenues for the coming year.  Under terms of the proposal, funding for public schools and other vital public services could be reduced mid-budget- year 2011-2012  if  revenues were to fall below the newly projected levels, according to the report on the Bee’s CapitolAlert website.

The pending spending plan would reportedly also shift some state revenues to counties, reducing the state’s obligation to schools under Proposition 98, the voter-approved initiative that placed a minimum funding requirement in the state Constitution, according to the story.

The Bee reportage suggests the governor is moving away from his strategy of trying to get four Republican votes for a bipartisan budget that would include an extension of the state’s temporary taxes.  Lawmakers and the governor are working to have a new budget in place prior to the July 1 start of the 2011-2012 fiscal year.

Note that the situation in the Capitol could change rapidly, and education supporters would be well-advised to continue pressing their lawmakers to honor their promise and protect public education from additional devastating cuts, including any technical actions that would reduce the minimum funding schools would receive.

See the story at http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2011/06/california-budget-deal-under-discussion-by-gov-jerry-brown-and-democrats.html