BAKERSFIELD, CA -- Governor Jerry Brown is in Bakersfield to talk about this year's budget. He began the day at the Bakersfield City School District office discussing a host of issues ranging from education to prison realignment.
He said the government needs to turn more responsibility over to local superintendents when figuring out how to distribute funding for school programs. He also spoke out in support of the high speed rail, saying he stands behind it as an important opportunity for California and Bakersfield.
And on the issue of our state's water situation, the governor said despite a lack of rain, he is not declaring a drought emergency. "At the end of the day if it doesn't rain, California is in for some serious trouble. And the governor through a declaration cannot make it rain. It sounds impressive, the governor declares, but I can declare to you right now that we are in a drought, and hopefully it's going to end. But we don't have that power. The only power we have is to use water more efficiently and more carefully, and even when we do that it's going to cause suffering and hardship in the days ahead."
The governor also spoke about prison realignment and commended Sheriff Donny Youngblood for his handling of it. Brown will meet with education, water, agriculture, and law enforcement leaders in Bakersfield.
He said the government needs to turn more responsibility over to local superintendents when figuring out how to distribute funding for school programs. He also spoke out in support of the high speed rail, saying he stands behind it as an important opportunity for California and Bakersfield.
And on the issue of our state's water situation, the governor said despite a lack of rain, he is not declaring a drought emergency. "At the end of the day if it doesn't rain, California is in for some serious trouble. And the governor through a declaration cannot make it rain. It sounds impressive, the governor declares, but I can declare to you right now that we are in a drought, and hopefully it's going to end. But we don't have that power. The only power we have is to use water more efficiently and more carefully, and even when we do that it's going to cause suffering and hardship in the days ahead."
The governor also spoke about prison realignment and commended Sheriff Donny Youngblood for his handling of it. Brown will meet with education, water, agriculture, and law enforcement leaders in Bakersfield.