After-School Program Funds Finally Released

Four years after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger entered the arena of California politics by persuading voters to support an initiative that expands after-school programs, schools will finally receive the funds to launch those programs.

Schwarzenegger signed a bill Thursday that will send $550 million to schools for that purpose. The state’s budget problems had delayed implementation of the measure, Proposition 49, until now. The initiative Schwarzenegger championed specifically prohibited the funding in lean budget times.

“I’ve always been a big believer in after-school programs -- they help our children succeed in school and stay out of trouble,” Schwarzenegger said in a statement. “Luckily, our economy is on the upswing and we have enough revenues for the first time this year to fund Prop. 49.”