SACRAMENTO, June 29 (UPI) -- California lawmakers have passed a budget with deep spending cuts for higher education, programs for the poor and the first park closings in state history.
Funding for the University of California and Cal State would suffer among the deepest cuts, at about 23 percent, under the plan approved by the Democrat-controlled Legislature Tuesday night, the Los Angeles Times reports.
A wide array of vital programs and services will feel the impact -- including treatment for mentally ill people and education for pregnant teens -- and 70 parks will be closed, the Times says.
But officials concede the cutbacks will prove no prescription for long-term fiscal health, the Times noted.
The courts will face what California's chief justice has termed crippling spending reductions.
The spending blueprint includes $4 billion more revenue than normally required as a precaution in case projected cash streams fail to produce.
K-12 education has escaped major cuts, but could face cutbacks equivalent to the amount necessary to shorten the school year seven days if projections fall short, the Times reported.
"These cuts will forever haunt our conscience," said Assemblyman Bob Blumenfield, D-Woodland Hills, chairman of the budget committee in the lower house. "However, those of us who do vote for this budget can take comfort with the knowledge that we did what was necessary to move ourselves toward stability."
Lawmakers had approved many of the spending reductions in March and added more Tuesday.
Gov. Jerry Brown had vetoed the first budget but is expected to sign the latest version before the state's new budget year starts Friday.
