The California Supreme Court on Thursday appeared divided over whether to sign off on one of Gov. Jerry Brown’s more controversial budget fixes, but the outlook seemed dim for the state’s 400-some redevelopment agencies in their fight to stay alive.

With the state counting on $1.7 billion in redevelopment funds for this fiscal year’s budget, the court wrestled with whether taking that money violates the state constitution. Most justices seemed pretty convinced it doesn’t.