WITH CALIFORNIA STATE BUDGET 2012-2013 A WEEK OVERDUE "CONCEPTUAL AGREEMENT" REPORTEDLY ARRIVED AT............

The yearly deadline for passage of a California State Budget by the two chambers of the State Legislature is June 15th, a deadline rarely met since the early 1990's.  Now that California voters changed the necessary majority for passage of the Budget from a two thirds vote of both the State Assembly and State Senate, to a simple majority vote of both Houses, and with the Democrats holding majorities in both chambers, and Governor Jerry Brown being a Democrat, on time passage should be assured.  But that is not the case, as the 2012-2013, is now a week overdue, as arguments, strategies, and negotiating, over the Governor's proposed cuts to State spending to address the $16 billion dollar deficit and the Democratic legislators unwillingness to cut as deeply into California social services programs as Brown wants, and Republican legislators objection to raising taxes to close the deficit gap, are all vying to keep the attempt to pass the new California State Budget.  Yesterday, the Governor's Office issue a press release announcing there is a, "conceptual agreement", to pass the State Budget, which is supposedly grounded in the transfer of 880,000 children whose families receive Welfare payments, known as Aid to Families with Dependent Children, (A,F.D.C.) from the Healthy Families Program to MediCal, for savings of $13 million in 2012-13.  State subsidized Child Care cuts and transfers, totaling $245 million, and the loss of 10,500 slots for child care supplied by the State are also part of the Compromise being reached.  The Cal Works Program, which grants 586,000 California families with job training, child care, treatment, and transportation, will also be cut and parental requirements for working at the federally mandated 39 hours a week, or lose theit Cal Works benefits enacted in the new Budget, while phasing out exemptions, for a savings of $423 million, is also in the conceptually agreed to budget plan.  Agreement over deep cuts to the In Home Support Services Program, details have not yet been disclosed.  Avoiding starkly deeper cuts to Education and Public Safety in the new Vudget being arrived at, will depend on passage or failure of Governor Brown's statewide Ballot Initiative on November 6th.  A vote on passage of the 2012 -2013 Budget for the Golden State, is expected next Tuesday or Wednesday, just seventy two to ninety six hours before the end of California's Fiscal Year, and the State Constitution mandated signing and start of a new  Fiscal Year Budget on July 1............Fr.  Troy