Among the new cutbacks is $150 million slashed from the state's courts. California Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye said the "crippling" cut, atop a $200 million reduction approved three months ago, would deliver "a blow against justice."
The governor's office previously estimated that the new reduction could result in two days of court closures statewide per month.
"These cuts threaten access to justice for all," Cantil-Sakauye said in a statement.
The plan also relies on $300 million taken from higher education, half from the University of California system and half from the California State University system.
Top UC officials promised to marshal a public campaign to restore the money and said that if the reduction survives, a double-digit tuition increase would be on the horizon. An 8% fee hike has already been approved by university authorities.
Brown has sought GOP approval for a fall election on taxes and asked them to first extend vehicle and sales tax increases that expire this month. Republicans oppose such an extension. And in exchange for any election, they have pursued an overhaul of pension, regulatory and spending policies — all of which Brown said he is willing to provide.
Those talks, however, have halted. Republican legislators involved in the negotiations have not spoken with the governor since last week, their aides said, and Wednesday's budget action appeared to drive the GOP and governor even farther apart.
Four GOP state senators issued a joint statement Wednesday blaming unions and trial lawyers — big Democratic donors — as "the real stumbling block" to any potential accord.
shane.goldmacher@latimes.com
anthony.york@latimes.com
Los Angeles Times staff writer Michael J. Mishak contributed to this report.
