MORE ON: budget

For years, schools have relied upon affiliated groups to help with field trips, bake sales and new uniforms. But the ongoing budget crisis has one school foundation drumming up cash to save jobs and programs at its district. Earlier this week, the La Canada Flintridge Educational Foundation... + read more

California was among 23 states that approved legislative measures last year to reduce the number of people in their prisons. The legislation enacted here was small in scope, but nonetheless part of a national trend, according to a new report [PDF] by The Sentencing Project, an organization... + read more

It's been about a month since we mentioned some lawmakers' concerns that deep budget cuts could imperil the state's longstanding requirement that government organizations provide the public with fair notice of open meetings. But as the Associated Press reminded us earlier this week... + read more

Classrooms packed with more students. Fee increases as much as 10 percent at public colleges. Fewer police on the street. Deep cuts to social services for the elderly and disabled. Banning children younger than 5 from kindergarten. Cutting state worker pay. That's the Doomsday scenario for... + read more

A growing number of Californians aren't sure what to make of Gov. Jerry Brown's early job performance, according to a new Public Policy Institute of California poll released tonight. The poll is the second in a month to measure voters' thoughts on Brown's first days in office,... + read more

Underscoring the deepening impact of the state's budget crisis, nearly 60 percent of California school districts have reduced the length of the school year, and 30 percent have shrunk it to 175 days, the minimum permitted under state law.  By comparison, last year only 5 percent... + read more

In an effort to close the state budget gap, California health officials are proposing a “hard cap” of 10 medical visits per year for needy patients who rely on the Medi-Cal program for health care. Some patients and health advocates are calling the strategy a "death sentence... + read more