Work Starts On Budget This Week

Key committees of the California Legislature begin review this week of Governor Gray Davis´s plan, to deal with a 23-point-six billion dollar budget shortfall. The plan includes controversial measures to increase the state´s vehicle and cigarette taxes, and to cut more than one billion dollars from health and human services programs. Lawmakers from the Senate and Assembly have proposed restoring some of the governor´s proposed cuts, including money for local governments and Medi-Cal recipients.