Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s has modified his original proposed budget for 2010-2011, releasing to legislators what is called his May Revisions on the 14. It’s the changes in funding to higher education that has De Anza college students and administrators buzzing. Included in the new budget is a guarantee of education funding under proposition 98, in which an additional 2 billion dollars will go to community colleges. K-12 education will not be cut further, and will also be ensured under Prop 98. No additional cuts to the UC, CSU, and student aid programs, and also rescinds cuts to the Cal Grant Competitive Program that was originally included in the January version of the budget. “I’ve made it very clear that we would, even though we’ve hit $20 billion deficit, increase the funding for higher education,” said Governor Schwarzenegger. “Everybody is fighting for dollars.” One of the “solutions” of the new budget is the elimination of the CalWorks program, which provides financial assistance to families below the poverty line. If this cut is passed by California legislators, it would provide 1.2 billion dollars of relief. There are no proposed state tax increases. With higher education getting a bump in funding, pre school education is being cut. The Governor proposes a 1.25 billion dollar cut on state-funded child care. Cuts like these have caused mixed reviews and reactions to the May Revisions from different educational leaders. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell issued a statement saying that California “is long overdue in creating a stable, consistent funding scheme for K-12 public education,” but expressed concern about the child care cuts, calling them “another severe blow to poor- and middle-class working families who are struggling to provide for their families.” Jean Ross, executive director of the California Budget Project, a nonpartisan public policy research group, called the revisions “not the balanced, responsible approach called for at this critical time.” She added that the changes relied too much on cuts, threatening the State’s economic recovery. Some higher education administrative members had a different take. CSU Chancellor Charles B. Reed was pleased that Schwarzenegger “has made supporting higher education a priority” and said that “the return of these funds will allow us to restore and preserve student access at campuses across the state.”One De Anza faculty member seconded this notion, and said that the extra funding will allow many students who otherwise wouldn’t be able to get classes and go to college a new opportunity. Legislative hearings are scheduled for the weeks of May 17 and May 24.