1-19-07 Governor's State-of-the-State Address Speaks to California's Future

Volume 20 For Publication Date: January 5, 2007 No. 1

Governor’s State-of-the-State Address Speaks to California’s Future

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger gave his fourth State-of-the-State address on January 9, 2007, focusing on the leadership role of California in addressing environmental, health care, education, and infrastructure issues by working with both houses and parties of the Legislature.

The Governor specifically signaled that he wants to work with Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez (D-Los Angeles) on his priority of research into alternative energy and transportation fuels and with Senate President Pro tem Don Perata (D-Oakland) to create a world-class transit system in the Bay Area that could maintain vital transportation links after an earthquake or other disaster. He pledged to work with Assembly Minority Leader Mike Villines (R-Clovis) and Senate Minority Leader Dick Ackerman (R-Irvine) to further reduce the state’s debt and to build new water storage facilities.

The Governor reinforced his commitment to a balanced Budget that fully funds education while dramatically reducing the state’s $4 billion deficit. The themes of the Governor’s address for education included a continued focus on building and modernizing schools and holding schools accountable to parents by providing relevant and accessible information about local schools.

In building a better workforce for the 21^st century, Governor Schwarzenegger is focused on increasing vocational education. Many California companies cannot find enough skilled workers to compete successfully. The Governor stressed that he will continue to focus on career-technical education (CTE). Specifically, he is proposing $20 million in ongoing funding for CTE instruction in high schools and community colleges. Reforms include coordinating CTE courses so that, when students move on to community college, they do not need to repeat classes; broadening curricula to include technical programs in emerging and traditional career paths; and expanding courses to ensure that more students learn the skills needed for gainful employment. In addition, the Governor will provide $32 million in new funding for CTE instruction and programs. This funding, part of the Proposition 98 settlement, will expand student exposure to career options by building public-private partnerships between key industries and CTE programs to expand apprenticeships, internships, and training and designing courses for growth industries by raising the quality and quantity of classes in high-growth sectors and emerging industries, like construction and medical technology.

In March 2007, the Governor will host a CTE summit to give school districts hands-on help in applying for bond funds. The goal of the summit is to bring government and industry together to review existing CTE curricula, outline industry needs over the next decade, and determine how schools can best prepare students for the workforce.

The Governor also committed to a continued investment in education, but stressed that it is not just how much money we spend, but how we spend it, noting, “I have seen the need with my own eyes as I’ve toured schools across the state. I went to a school with bed sheets on the windows rather than blinds. I went to a school that was so overcrowded the gym’s locker room was used for teaching space.”

He noted that he will ask the Legislature to approve a bond that will provide 15,000 more classrooms and renovate 40,000 more.

In addition, he called for bonds in four other areas, including public safety, water supply, transportation, and disaster preparedness.

In particular, he expressed the need to build more prisons to avoid a court-mandated release of criminals. He stated, “We build more prisons or the court takes money from education and health care and builds the prisons itself. I am not in favor of releasing criminals. I am not in favor of taking money from classrooms and emergency rooms to build cells.”

Finally, continuing the Governor’s theme from his January 8 press conference where he unveiled his health care reform package, he stressed that both Assembly Member Núñez and Senator Perata have expressed their commitment to ensuring that California will lead the nation in meeting the health care needs of its people.

The Governor’s Budget plan, which outlines his proposed spending plan for 2007-08, will be released January 10 at 1:00 p.m. Stay tuned . . .

--Anderson, Nancy LaCasse, and Jamillah Moore, Ed.D.