Jerry Brown Signs Calif. Budget

California dreams are not so bright these days. Gov. Jerry Brown signed the state’s budget late Wednesday night, an ambitious plan that aims to close the state’s $15.7-billion deficit with cuts in social services. The budget also depends on voters approving $8 billion in temporary tax hikes in November. But the budget does not have a higher sales tax and increased levies on the wealthy, which Brown says will cause the spending cuts to come from public schools. In addition to cuts to programs for the poor, the state will also cut scholarships for students attending private collages starting in the 2013-14 academic year—and the budget could lead to freeze on college tuition.