California Gov. Jerry Brown yesterday served up a “reality
sandwich” that may not augur well for the financial future of the
$3 billion California stem cell agency.
It was a “lower-your-expectations” message that harkened back
to Brown's first term in office when he surprised many in the state
with his frugal ways.
Brown delivered the news to the University of California regents,
one of whom is also Sherry Lansing, a longtime and influential member
of the 29-member governing board of the stem cell agency.
Brown told the regents that he plans to budget the university
for a $146 million increase (5 percent) in state funds during the
upcoming fiscal year. The regents want an additional $120 million.
Brown said that was not going to happen.
David Siders of The Sacramento Bee reported that Brown, who once
studied for the Catholic priesthood, told regents that they may
think that his "Jesuitical harshness is not nice.” But he said that there are many competing interests within the state and "that's
kind of the reality sandwich we have to chew on."
UC Regent Lansing said that she is not ready to give up on more
cash for UC and that she believed in UC's “power of advocacy,”
according to Katy Murphy, writing in the San Jose Mercury News. Last
summer, at the stem cell agency's governing board meeting in July,
Lansing also stressed the need for “renewal of the (state) bond
money” that finances the operations of the agency, which is known as CIRM.
The stem cell enterprise faces a more serious fate than the University
of California. The agency will run out of money for new awards in
2017. It is looking at some sort of public-private partnership to
continue its efforts. Its initial assumptions include as much as $200 million in public support.
The state's economic situation could improve within two years.
However, the pressing demands of a host of high priority needs in
California will increase as well. Stem cell research will
face tough competition against the many compelling state problems
that have been given short shrift during the past five years or more.
That's all part of the “reality sandwich” for CIRM to sample
in December when its directors will be briefed on a new plan for
financing the agency's future.
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