The Assembly will cut about $7.5 million deeper into its spending next year by order of new Speaker John A. Pérez to demonstrate shared sacrifice during California's economic recession.
Pérez announced during a swearing-in ceremony Friday that he is directing the Assembly's budget to be cut by 15 percent, which would total about $22.4 million in a projected budget of $149.4 million next year.
Shannon Murphy, Perez's spokeswoman, said the speaker's cut is expected to be implemented quickly, meaning it will encompass about three months of the current fiscal year as well.
No decision has been made on what the Assembly will do with the additional millions it saves. Murphy said that the Assembly Rules Committee will be asked to develop a budget-cutting plan.
Pérez, D-Los Angeles, did not elaborate at Friday's oath-of-office event in Los Angeles, which came 11 days after the Los Angeles Democrat was honored in a similar ceremony on the Assembly floor.
Rather than by imposing furloughs, layoffs or pay cuts, the 15 percent cut is expected to be implemented by cutting expenditures, such as furnishings, equipment, maintenance and perhaps travel, according to Jon Waldie, Assembly administrator.
The Assembly thus far has avoided the thrice-monthly furloughs imposed on most state workers or the once-monthly furloughs imposed on Senate aides.
Pérez's 15 percent reduction ups the ante in belt-tightening ordered by his predecessor, Karen Bass, who diverted about 10 percent of the Assembly budget in each of the past two years, and roughly the same percentage for the final six months of 2007-08.
Bass also voluntarily cut the Assembly's baseline budget by $1.7 million this fiscal year, which will result in permanent lost revenue of at least that amount each year under a funding formula in Proposition 140, passed by voters nearly two decades ago.
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