Brown urges caution in State of State speech
By David Siders, Sacramento Bee
Gov. Jerry Brown said today that California is continuing its “comeback,” with a budget surplus and am improving economy, but he urged the Legislature to restrain spending.
“This year, Californians have a lot to be proud of,” Brown told a joint session of the Legislature in his State of the State address. “For a decade, budget instability was the order of the day. … But three years later, here we are, with state spending and revenues solidly balanced, and more to come.”
However, Brown said the state budget is based on fluctuating revenue, and long-term liabilities are high. As he did in his State of the State speech a year ago, Brown offered the cautionary, biblical account of Joseph and the Pharaoh’s dream of seven cows.
The 17-minute speech was the final State of the State address of Brown’s third term. The 75-year-old Democrat is widely expected to seek re-election, and the speech served to preview his campaign.