Jerry Brown Sworn In for Record 4th Term As California Governor

Jerry Brown took his oath of office for a record fourth term as California governor Monday and laid down his plans in the next four years to tackle problems the state has been experiencing, including education, health care, crime and environmental woes.

"To that end, over the next four years - and beyond - we must dedicate ourselves to making what we have done work, to seeing that the massive changes in education, health care and public safety are actually carried out and endure," he said in his inauguration speech made at the California state assembly.

Brown, the first governor in California's history to serve four terms, touted that compared to four years ago, the state budget is now balanced from $26 billion in debt coupled with a 12.1 percent unemployment.

This, he said, was done through a cut in spending, growing economy and "people voting for temporary taxes."

"Soon we will make the last payment on the $15 billion of borrowing made to cover budget deficits dating back to 2002. We will also repay a billion dollars borrowed from schools and community colleges and another $533 million owed to local governments," he said.

As to environment, Brown thanked voters for approving Propositions 1 and 2, which channeled funding for state water infrastructure projects and save money "for an uncertain future."

By the end of the year, Brown said, California will be investing in water projects and saving about $2.8 billion in the Rainy Day Fund.

California, he added, is on track to meet the 2020 goal of one-third of its electricity coming from renewable energy.

He said California "must show the way" in meeting a recommendation made by a United Nations panel to limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius by 2050 through reducing greenhouse gases.

"We must demonstrate that reducing carbon is compatible with an abundant economy and human well-being. So far, we have been able to do that," Brown said.

In the next 15 years, Brown is aiming to increase to 50 percent California's electricity from renewable resources; reduce petroleum use in cars and trucks by up to 50 percent; and double the energy efficiency of existing buildings; and make heating fuels cleaner.

Brown said the state's Local Control Funding Formula is a "much fairer system" where state funds are given to school districts based on the needs of students.

"Districts will get significantly more funds based on the number of students from foster care, low-income families and non-English-speaking parents," he said.

California, he said, has increased financial support for education with schools getting $65.7 billion next year, a 39 percent increase in four years.

"We are at a crossroads. With big and important new programs now launched and the budget carefully balanced, the challenge is to build for the future, not steal from it, to live within our means and to keep California ever golden and creative, as our forebears have shown and our descendants would expect," he said.