Calif. democrats hope for higher revenue, more spending

The budget compromise between Gov. Jerry Brown and the Legislature’s Democratic leaders largely mirrors the governor’s proposal for a fiscally restrained spending plan that assumes conservative revenue projections.

But there’s a catch: Rank-and-file Democratic lawmakers say they are agreeing to less spending than they wanted because they expect to push for funding pet projects next year.

That’s when they hope the state’s tax revenue will come in higher than the Brown administration projects.

That could clear the way for hundreds of millions of dollars in discretionary spending on a wide range of programs. Doctors who take Medicaid patients, the court system and community colleges could benefit.

Republican lawmakers said they had hoped the Democratic budget deal would have done more to pay down the state’s debts.