Releasing a new budget proposal Tuesday, California Governor Jerry Brown didn't bask in the glow of the $850 million budget surplus he predicts for the end of next year. Despite the bounty, Brown's new budget preaches restraint, focusing on prioritizing education spending and paying down debts.

As Joel Stein wrote in our recent cover story, Brown's "unsentimental, grown-up leadership" is chipping away at the state's most intractable problems. In November, California listened to Brown and passed a $6 billion tax hike, largely through an income tax on the wealthy (though it also included a sales tax increase that everyone pays). In January, Brown proposed a budget that had long been unthinkable: A boost in collected and projected taxes let the state run a surplus.

SACRAMENTO -- With cash pouring into state coffers at a much higher rate than expected, Democrats in the Legislature are no doubt tempted to reopen their spending spigot and restore social programs that have taken devastating hits in recent years.

Apart from some targeted spending increases, however, lawmakers appear to be sticking to the disciplined approach that Gov. Jerry Brown has championed, even as he plans to announce in his revised budget Tuesday that tax revenues are $4.6 billion more than he predicted in January.

Indeed, most Democrats seem to be sounding more like their conservative Republican counterparts. Assembly Democrats are even circulating a document titled "Blueprint for a Responsible Budget" that highlights calls for "fiscal responsibility, a stronger middle class and less government red tape."

AB 906, authored by Assemblymember Dr. Richard Pan (D-Sacramento), would address many problems involving costly contracts with private companies that are out of control and receiving little scrutiny.

The legislation would limit most personal services contracts to two years and any proposed contract extension would trigger the meet and confer process for Local 1000 or any other public employee union whose members do the same work as the contractors.

Contract legislation tops our agenda in 2013 while Local 1000 also backs a wide range of bills to help the state operate more efficiently.

Local 1000's top legislative priority is to make sure that once our tentative agreement is signed, the legislature passes our contract bill and that the governor then signs our contract into law. 

Beyond our contract legislation, Local 1000 is sponsoring and backing several other important bills to either make our workplaces safer for our members, increase effectiveness in programs we manage, or help the state better serve California's working families. 

One such bill is AB 1340, which would require that any mentally ill state hospital patient accused of assaulting a staff member or another patient be housed in a more secure area - away from the general population.

In late 2011, we knew we faced some big challenges ahead, and we set goals for the coming year. Now that 2012 is drawing to a close, it is time for us to reflect on some of our accomplishments this year as we look forward to our challenges in 2013.

In 2012, our stewards and professional staff won many victories while representing our members in grievances, arbitrations, unfair practice charges and other proceedings. 

The national discussion surrounding the so-called "fiscal cliff"--tax increases and automatic cuts in the federal budget--will have a real impact on vital state services unless Congress adopts policies that support middle-class jobs.

Federal funds contribute nearly 36 cents of every dollar to California's state budget. More than a half-billion dollars will stop flowing to the state if the nation's lawmakers fail to act, affecting programs in education, health care and job assistance.

Local 1000 members are joining with allies from all over America to urge members of Congress to adopt economic policies that support middle-class families and job growth.

At the same time, we're lobbying members of Congress aggressively through SEIU's offices in Washington, D.C. They are focusing on maintaining middle-class tax cuts while letting rates rise for the wealthy.

"The conversation our country needs to have is how to get more Americans back to work, not whether millionaires should continue to receive special tax breaks," said Local 1000 President Yvonne R. Walker.

A look at post-election California shows what may be the future for the Republican party: The legislature, governor's office and all other statewide offices are controlled by Democrats. Less than 30 percent of voters in the state are registered to the GOP.

LOS ANGELES -- If the future happens first in California, the Republican Party has a problem.

The most populous U.S. state -- home to 1 in 8 Americans -- has entered a period of Democratic political control so far-reaching that the dwindling number of Republicans in the Legislature are in danger of becoming mere spectators at the statehouse.

In a historic election, SEIU-endorsed candidates and propositions were victorious all over the nation--and especially here in California.

"Our victories began with the re-election of Barack Obama. The nation had spoken--rejecting a conservative, big business agenda in favor of the vision of a stronger middle class," said Local 1000 President Yvonne R. Walker. "The momentum continued in California, where we passed Proposition 30--which, by adding $6 billion in vital revenue to schools and public safety is a critical step forward in stopping years of deep budget cuts.

A volunteer who traveled to Las Vegas to help the campaign comes away with admiration for its scope and efficiency.

LAS VEGAS -- It was at a modest house on the outskirts of this gambling mecca last weekend that I finally became confident President Obama would win reelection. As I approached the door, I noticed three young men standing inside, drinking beer in the middle of the afternoon. No point trying to talk a bunch of slackers into voting, I thought. Best to move on.