As the possibility of another $200 million cut in CSU funding looms this year, all eyes are on the November elections to see whether or not voters will approve Governor Jerry Brown’s tax initiative. It would increase taxes by one percent for Californians earning over $250,000, by two percent for those earning $500,000, and temporarily increase the sales tax by half-a-percent. If it’s not approved, CSU funding will be cut. According to a university release, that would push the system's funding back to its 1996 level, despite serving an additional 90,000 students today.
Robert Turnage, CSU Assistant Vice Chancellor for budget, told CSU trustees last month that "campuses are limping through this fiscal year.” KALW’s Hana Baba spoke with Robert Turnage by phone.