The Latest: Budget holds universities’ ‘feet to the fire’

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - The Latest on the California governor’s revised budget plan (all times local):

12:30 p.m.

California Gov. Jerry Brown says he’s withholding $50 million from the University of California’s budget to “hold their feet to the fire.”

He says his revised budget released Thursday withholds the money until the UC system accepts changes in a recent critical state audit.

Auditors found the system hid tens of millions of dollars in reserve accounts and overpaid administrators.

Brown says he wants more transparency and financial reporting from the system. He also criticized administrators’ salaries as being too high.

The state auditor was particularly critical of UC President Janet Napolitano, who has disputed auditors’ findings.

Auditors say Napolitano’s office altered campuses’ responses that were critical of her office.

But Brown defended her, saying the governing Board of Regents and others generally think she is doing a good job.

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12 p.m.

Republicans are praising California Gov. Jerry Brown’s plan to pay down part of the state’s pension debt in his revised budget proposal. But they’re criticizing other parts of the Democratic governor’s revised plan.

Assembly Minority Leader Chad Mayes says Brown’s budget released Thursday improperly diverts tax increases intended to fund health and dental care into general state spending.

Republican State Sen. Jim Nielsen of Gerber says the revised budget doesn’t do enough to control spending.

Democrats who control the Legislature also have their disagreements.

Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon of Los Angeles calls the governor’s new plan an improvement from his January budget proposal.

Assemblyman Phil Ting of San Francisco says Democrats also want middle-class college scholarships, increased Medi-Cal payments to doctors and affordable housing funding.

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10:32 a.m.

California Gov. Jerry Brown is seeking more spending on schools and child care.

He announced Thursday a revised outlook for the budget year that starts July 1.

He cited a “modestly improved fiscal outlook” since January that will allow for $1.5 billion more in spending next year.

Most of that will go to K-12 education. He also is rolling back a plan to cut a half-billion dollars in child care support for low-income children.

The overall general fund spending plan is $124 billion, which Brown said “is considerably more constrained than in any year since 2012.”

The release of Brown’s budget plan kicks off a month of negotiations with the Legislature.