On a chart showing the states budget deficits in red the past few years, Gov. Jerry Brown circles the black line showing a surplus of funds for the upcoming year, during a news conference where he unveiled his proposed 2014-15 state budget in Sacramento, Calif., Thursday Jan. 9, 2014. A robust economic recovery and surging revenue propelled by voter-approved tax increases has sent California's general fund spending to a record high, marking a dramatic turn-around for the state. With the an increase in tax receipts, Brown is proposing a spending plan that includes a 8.5 percent increase in general fund spending coupled with a dedication to pay down the state's debt by more than $11 billion.(AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)