Democrats in Assembly Seek to Hike Budget by $359 Million

Calling for added money for state employee salaries, county government and health care programs, Assembly Democrats on Tuesday released their plan for restoring $359 million to the 1988-89 state budget signed by Gov. George Deukmejian last month.

The proposal is sharply different from one advanced by Senate Democrats last week, but also at odds with some of the spending that the Republican governor wants added to the state’s $44-billion budget.

Deukmejian pared $472 million from the budget, but indicated a willingness to add some funds, particularly for programs he favors that were omitted by the legislators.

Legislators’ Stance

However, Democratic legislators appear unwilling to give the governor exactly what he has asked for and Assembly Democrats are still hoping that they can win support for a proposal that would add even more money to the budget, which they consider inadequate.

“I resent being forced to choose between essential programs when these choices could have been avoided,” said Assembly Ways and Means Committee Chairman John Vasconcellos (D-Santa Clara). “But if choices have to be made, we’ll make them.”

Any proposal must win two-thirds majorities in both the Assembly and Senate as well as the support of Deukmejian. And any final settlement now appears unlikely until the Legislature nears adjournment, scheduled for Aug. 31.

But the release of the Assembly Democratic plan helps to define the battle lines for the struggle ahead.

The latest proposal calls for sending the counties an additional $190 million to pay for trial court operations. The appropriation is a top priority for Deukmejian, but has been rejected by Senate Democrats.

Pay Raises Sought

The Democrats in the lower house are alone in wanting to spend an additional $46.4 million for state employee pay raises--giving state workers a 4% raise next March rather than in June, as proposed by the governor.

The Assembly Democrats want to add $28.5 million for AIDS education and treatment programs--almost three times the amount that Senate Democrats have asked for. The Assembly lawmakers are proposing adding $19 million for the University of California and California State University systems. The governor has asked for $38 million; the Senate Democrats $65 million.

A key element of the Assembly Democrats’ plan is a proposal to add $550 million to this year’s state budget by collecting some taxes next June that would normally be due in July. That money could be used to provide money for several Deukmejian-backed projects, including $10 million to reinstate the state tourism office and $90 million for state prisons and other corrections programs.