Jerry Brown Opposes California Cuts in President Trump’s Budget

Jerry Brown State of the State 2017 (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press)
Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press
Adelle Nazarian

California Gov. Jerry Brown’s administration is unhappy with President Donald Trump’s budget proposals and how they will potentially affect several programs and funding for some projects in the state.

“The president’s budget proposes a complete withdrawal of the federal government’s commitment to working with states to solve the critical issues of the country, from environmental protection and emergency preparedness to transportation and other infrastructure,” Brown’s budget director, Michael Cohen said, according to the Los Angeles Times.

President Trump has argued that many of the programs he seeks to slash funding for are ineffective or outdated. He has also noted that some of the programs to be eliminated or cut are repetitive. The National Endowment for the Arts, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the National Endowment for the Humanities are among 19 independent agencies being considered for elimination.

Brown’s administration is also concerned about limited grant funding for rail and transit projects. Last month the Federal Transit Administration delayed a decision on whether it would approve a $650 million federal grant meant to convert the Bay Area railway system, Caltrain, from diesel to electric.

That conversion is a key step for the completion of the plans laid out by the California High-Speed Rail Authority. California’s own Republican delegation opposes that plan (as do many Democrats). Gov. Brown made a specific appeal to President Trump not to block federal funding for that project.

However, as Breitbart News has reported, President Trump is enthusiastic about infrastructure, and could be interested in funding rail links that make more economic sense.

State budget writers are reportedly also concerned about $66.8 billion in federal healthcare funds that were included in Brown’s plan for the fiscal year starting on July 1. According to the Times, that figure represents “63% of the federal funds allocated under the state budget, while many of the other dollars are sent directly to local communities.” However, the Times also notes that “The allotment of healthcare dollars, found in the state’s Medi-Cal program, depend less on Trump’s budget and more on the fate of the congressional Republican healthcare plan.”

On Monday, Gov. Brown lashed out at Trump’s healthcare proposal on Twitter calling it a “harebrained scheme” and “a really dumb idea.”

Meanwhile, celebrities experienced meltdowns over Trump’s budget cuts. May of them expressed their contempt over social media.

Follow Adelle Nazarian on Twitter and Periscope @AdelleNaz.

 

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