Governor’s proposed budget shows stability

Salary increase for state employees part of funding proposal
Local 1000 members will be pleased to know that Gov. Jerry Brown’s budget proposal for 2015-16 includes funding for the 2.5 percent salary increase secured by our 2013 contract.

Brown’s plan which was released Jan. 9, also includes increased money for many state programs administered by our members. For example, the governor is increasing workforce education by $1.2 billion; Local 1000 members at the Employment Development Department administer many of these programs. The budget proposal calls for increased funding and positions in healthcare fields as the state continues to implement the Affordable Care Act as well as the expansion of other programs.

A new era of fiscal stability
The $120 billion budget proposal is an important benchmark in a new era of fiscal stability for California that has developed in the five years since Brown succeeded Arnold Schwarzenegger as governor. Another major reason for that stability was Proposition 30, a revenue producing measure that voters approved in 2012 with strong support from Local 1000.

“This budget stands in sharp contrast to the problems we saw during and in the aftermath of the Schwarzenegger administration,” said Local 1000 President Yvonne. R. Walker. “After years of deficits, furloughs and pushing budget problems into the future through quick fixes, California has reached a point of much-needed fiscal stability that benefits our members and all working families.”

Brown’s budget proposal also signals his plan to prefund retiree healthcare benefits, in part by asking state employees to pay increased contributions. The governor said he would introduce this proposal with each union as its contract comes up. Local 1000’s contract expires in 2016.
“We will fight to protect the vested benefits of our members,” Walker said. “Defending the hard-earned retirement security of our members is our  number one priority.”