SACRAMENTO, June 11 (UPI) -- California lawmakers say they have agreed on key budget issues with Gov. Jerry Brown.
The agreement includes increases in school funding and conservative revenue estimates. Brown opposed forecasts based on the assumption of a strong stock market.
The two Democratic leaders of the state Legislature, Assembly Speaker John Perez and Senate Majority Leader Darrell Steinberg, met with Brown for several hours Monday, the Los Angeles Times reported. After the meeting, they said only some minor details need to be negotiated.
Steinberg said Brown, also a Democrat, agreed to some increase in spending on health and social services. But the legislators agreed to accept Brown's revenue forecasts.
Schools will get more money across the board. Brown also won additional money to go to districts with large numbers of students who come from homes where English is not the primary language and students with learning difficulties.
"It will be a budget that I think accomplishes all of the things that we have sought to accomplish," Steinberg said.
Under California law, the Legislature must pass a budget by this coming Saturday and Brown must sign it by July 1, when the new fiscal year begins, the Times said.
"The Legislature is doing their job and doing it well," Brown said. "It looks like California will get another balanced budget and, very importantly, educational funding that recognizes the different needs of California's students."
