Governor Releases “May Revision” of Budget : : $2M for Literacy | $1.7M for Broadband

Governor Releases “May Revision” of Budget:

Funding Provided for Broadband Project & Literacy Program

CLA News From the Capitol: 5.14.2015 by Mike Dillon, Christina DiCaro, CLA Lobbyists

This morning in a press conference at the State Capitol, Governor Brown released his “May Revision” of the 2015-16 State Budget.  Included among the Governor’s proposals for new spending is a recommended increase of $2 million for the state literacy program and an increase of $1.7 million for the library broadband project for connection grants and related costs.

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Recognizing the Governor’s fiscal prudence and the limited available General Funds, CLA is pleased that the Governor has provided additional funding for two important public library programs.  Below is the proposal for new library spending under the Governor’s May Revision of the Budget:

· Literacy Program – An increase of $2 million General Fund for the Literacy and English Acquisition Services Program.  As described in the Governor’s Budget proposal for adult education, the Administration’s focus remains on increasing the resources available to improve the skills of California’s workforce, and it is expected that literacy programs funded with these resources will be coordinated with the adult education consortia.

· Broadband Project – An increase of $1.7 million General Fund for the California Public Library Broadband Project, including $1.5 million on a one-time basis for grants to public libraries to upgrade broadband equipment and $225,000 General Fund for continued administration of contracts for broadband services.

· Library Preservation Activities – An increase of $521,000 General Fund to improve the [State] library’s efforts to preserve historical items in its possession, including $181,000 ongoing for two additional positions and $340,000 on a one-time basis for equipment.”

The Assembly and Senate Budget Subcommittees on Education Finance will convene early next week to begin reviewing the Governor’s May Revision of the State Budget, and specifically, the State Library and public library funding.  The subcommittees will be working diligently during the next couple of weeks to close out their actions for the year and make recommendations to the full Budget Committee of their respective houses.  READ MORE !