Board hears budget squeeze, Prop 98 rebenching and supports CalFresh bills to expand student food aid

Summary

The board received budget briefings showing a large state deficit and Prop 98 adjustments that shift $492 million associated with transitional kindergarten to K–12, discussed deferrals and program reductions, and heard staff support for AB 593 and SB 761 to expand CalFresh eligibility to roughly 220,000 community college students.

At its May 9 meeting the California Community Colleges Board of Governors heard a detailed budget presentation that emphasized the state’s budgetary squeeze and specific impacts to the community college system. Executive Vice Chancellor Chris Ferguson outlined the administration’s MABRA scenario and the May revise treatment of Proposition 98 that shifts costs for transitional kindergarten from community colleges to K–12, producing an estimated $492,000,000 impact to the colleges over a three‑year window.

Ferguson said the administration’s package relies on a combination of rainy‑day fund withdrawals, reappropriations and a $531,600,000 deferral in the budget year to preserve a focus on growth and cost‑of‑living adjustments (COLA) while reducing categorical COLA and some one‑time program investments. “The MABRA vision reflects a roughly…

Board hears budget squeeze, Prop 98 rebenching and supports CalFresh bills to expand student food aid

Summary

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