Right now, sequester means we have a lot more stories in the press about what sequester might mean. But if Congress fails to enact meaningful, long-term measures soon the budget-slashing process it put in place nearly two years ago will take some luster off the Golden State.
The Budget Act of 2011 cuts $1.2 trillion over 10 years using a meat cleaver that indiscriminately hacks funding across the board of domestic and military spending with little regard for need. It was enacted by a Congress that felt it needed the incentive of calamitous budget cuts to reach a more sensible accord on its own.
Congress failed as Republicans refused to consider a balanced approach of budget cuts and revenue enhancements (through taxation and closed loopholes). The GOP is holding out for major cuts to entitlements like Social Security and Medicare, while resisting meaningful revenue changes.
Technically, $85 billion in cuts kick in today, but sequestration’s effects will be felt over time as Congress continues to maneuver and the budgetary changes slowly take hold. The prospect of some type of short-term agreement that kicks the can down the road a bit may be in the offing, especially if the stock market tanks in response to the deadlock. But for now, Congress has gone home and its leaders are meeting privately with President Barack Obama today.
If nothing is done, the White House and other budgetary sources predict, at least, the following for California:
Military: Defense will be hit hard and California will feel that the most. 64,000 civilian employees with the Department of Defense (DoD) will be furloughed in California, reducing gross pay by $399.4 million. Military personnel salaries and benefits will not be affected. Cuts will be made in defense projects, contracts and DoD civilian employees. Army operations would lose $54 million and the Air Force $15 million. The Navy might halt work on maintenance and repair of five ships in San Diego.
K-12 Education: Elementary and secondary education would lose $87.6 million in federal funding. That would put 1,200 teacher jobs at risk, affecting 187,000 students at 320 schools.
Special Education: Children with disabilities would also lose $62.9 million in education funding for 760 teachers, aids and staff.
Head Start: Health, nutrition and education services would not be provided to 8,200 low-income children and their families.
Work-Study: Around 9,600 low-income students wouldn’t receive aid to help them finance the cost of college.
Child Care: Around 2,000 children could lose access to child care services essential to allowing their parents an opportunity to hold employment.
Vaccines for Children: Loss of $1.1 million would likely mean that around 15,810 children wouldn’t receive vaccinations for measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus, whooping cough, influenza and Hepatitis B.
Public Health: Grants worth $12.4 million for drug prevention and treatment would vanish, slicing 9,400 people from substance abuse programs. $2 million for 49,300 HIV tests would not be available, along with $2.6 million to upgrade the state’s ability to respond to public health threats like infectious diseases, natural disasters and nuclear events.
Environment: An estimated $12.4 million in federal funding for environmental protection would disappear and the state could lose another $1.9 million in grants for fish and wildlife protection.
Law Enforcement: $1.6 million loss in Justice Assistance Grants for law enforcement and public safety.
Seniors Nutrition: Programs that provide meals for seniors would lose $5.4 million.
Violence against Women: The loss of $795,000 could result in 3,000 fewer victims receiving help.
–Ken Broder
To Learn More:
Impact of March 1st Cuts on Middle Class Families, Jobs and Economic Security: California (The White House) (pdf)
White House Estimates of State-by-State Impacts of Sequestration (Washington Post)
A Graphic Guide to the Sequester (by Christie Thompson, ProPublica)
California Sequestration Impact, Local Response, and National Scope (by Michael Higham, Independent Voter Network)