Jerry Brown Says $1 Billion in Emergency State Cuts Required: Universities, Colleges Targeted

JB.

Gov. Jerry Brown announced that the state budget would have to undergo an additional $1 billion in cuts after tax revenues didn't meet rosy predictions.

A key element of the slashing:

Higher education.

The University of California, targeted in raucous, Occupy-related protests over the cost of education recently, says it will absorb Brown's $100 million cut by dipping into reserves, according to the San Jose Mercury News.

The paper says the extra trimming means California community college students will likely see an additional $10-per-unit fee hike in fall.

A $4 billion increase in tax revenue projected by Brown and the state legislature ended up being more like $1.8, meaning things aren't as bad as they could be. But still the shortfall will result in mandatory "trigger" cuts.

Brown, of course, used the occasion to push for his November tax-increase initiative that would raise $7 billion -- if you vote for it.

"We need to have a very serious discussion between now and November as to whether people want us to spend more," he said, according to the Los Angeles Times.

According to a Public Policy Institute of California poll this week 60 percent of likely voters in the Golden State "favor Governor Jerry Brown's proposal to temporarily increase the state sales tax and the income taxes of high earners ... "

Occupy that.

[@dennisjromero / djromero@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]