I welcome the governor’s recognition that investment in higher education is a more productive use of state funds than investment in corrections, and that the state has cut all it can from higher education. Nevertheless, I’m hard-pressed to understand where his numbers come from. In the 2009/2010 budget, summarized online here, 12.5% of the general fund and 10.2 percent of the state budget go to higher education. Corrections receive 9.7% of the general fund and 6.9% of the state budget. Thus, the statement is no guarantee that higher education will benefit from this proclamation. Furthermore, I am troubled by the assumption that savings on prisons and additional spending for higher education can come from contracting and privatization alone.
We need much more than statements now, to truly resolve our human capital issues. A more realistic approach would:
1) Recognize that in times of severe fiscal stress, it is the height of irresponsibility to keep discussion of new means of revenue generation, including taxes, off the table. At some point, revenue increases must accompany a workable system, and tax increases may be part of the mix. Those who have benefited from the strength of the state’s economy in times past to the extent that they still have strong income and revenues should support a mandate to maintain state strength by contributing more to the recovery.
2) Recognize that incarceration is not the answer to all law breaking activity. While it is imperative to keep violent criminals off the street, the 3 strikes law goes far beyond this. To the extent that we pay far more per capita to house a prisoner than to educate our children and young adults, more attention needs to be focused on options to educate youth with the goal of giving them options to stay out of the prison system, as well as to rehabilitation within the corrections system, so that we may have productive, income producing citizens, rather than a cycle that fosters continuing criminal behavior.
3) Maintain the flexible, inclusive higher education system that has been key to the state’s economic strengths. This is a time to renew our investments, rather than disinvest in higher education.
Cynthia,
I too agree with him, “that investment in higher education is a more productive use of state funds than investment in corrections”. Just with the situation, as dire as I write this, and as painful as it may be, the drastic reductions are the few options we have left.
But as you have stated “the state has cut all it can from higher education.” So perhaps we should look at other avenues like the one you mention in this article.
Maintain the flexible, inclusive higher education system that has been key to the state’s economic strengths. This is a time to renew our investments, rather than disinvest in higher education.
And dare I say it, perhaps ask the top graduates of our higher education (that the State subsidizes through tuition,) to serve in the city/community. Sort of like TEACH AMERICA. But for California.
And it’s just not you guys, even in Northern NV, is at 13% unemployment. And short sales & foreclosures still are not improving.
Thanks for this wonderful post Cynthia.
“Confront the brutal facts, but do not lose hope that in the end you will prevail” – Stockdale
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I question the numbers cited here.
According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office March 19, 2009 report, the 2009-2010 budget includes about $9.8 billion-almost entirely from the General Fund- to operate the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). Over 90 percent of these funds support adult inmates and parolees. The budget includes a $180 million unallocated reduction to the receiver’s medical services program and a $400 million unallocated reduction resulting from a Governor’s veto.
State spending for CDCR has increased by approximately $8 billion or 340%, between 1989-90 and 2009-10, an average annual increase of about 8 percent. Moreover spending on corrections takes up twice as much of the state budget than it did 20 years ago, increasing from about 6 percent to 11 percent of total state spending. The budget also reflects about $4.5 billion in total expenditures for CDCR capital outlay projects. These projects are mainly funded with the proceeds of lease-revenue bonds and $252 million from the General fund.
The average cost to incarcerate an inmate has more that doubled over the past 20 years from about $19,000 in 1988-89 to about $49,000 in 2008-09. The prison union employee compensation has added more than $1 billion to CDCR’s budget over the past decade.
See details of the Legislative Analysts report on the budget of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation here.
Knowing how much the Governor values protecting the prison union employees, let’s take an honest look at his priorities when it comes to investing in educating the young people in our state.
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