Last week, the California legislature finalized its 2013-2014 budget and many state leaders and pundits pronounced themselves pleased that it was “on time and balanced.” But not everyone shares this rosy view. In a new blog post, Prevention Institute's Sandra Viera and Jeremy Cantor call out the budget’s significant cuts to active transportation, sustainable community development, local public health infrastructure and safety-net clinics.
Sandra and Jeremy write:
There has been a lot of back-slapping and self-congratulations swirling around Sacramento over the past couple weeks as California lawmakers passed a balanced $96.3 billion budget and MediCal expansion bills on time. But at a time when the state’s revenue picture is the best it’s been in years—and significantly better than the governor’s conservative estimates—major cuts to investments in the health and safety of California communities were a bitter disappointment to many advocates.
To be sure, the budget does have some good features: It increases investments in K-12 education, mental health, and dental care. Yet it also includes significant cuts in funding for active transportation, sustainable community development, local public health infrastructure, and county health clinics that serve low-income Californians and undocumented immigrants…
Read more at the California Blog.