Gov. Gavin Newsom proposes painful cuts to close California’s growing budget deficit

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California’s budget deficit is at least $45 billion, a shortfall so large it prompted Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday to propose painful spending cuts impacting immigrants, kindergarteners and low-income parents seeking child care in a state often lauded for having the world’s fifth-largest economy.

Officially, Newsom said the state’s deficit is $27.6 billion. But really, it’s closer to $45 billion when including previous spending reductions that Newsom and the state Legislature agreed to in March. Including reductions in public education spending, which Newsom has not included, the deficit would be even billions of dollars more, according to recent analysis by the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office.

The size of the deficit is important as it will shape the national perspectives of Newsom, who is a top surrogate for President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign and who is widely believed to harbor presidential aspirations of his own. Newsom has spent much of his time in office basking in the glow of historic budget surpluses that allowed him to greatly expand state spending. But back-to-back budget deficits — with more on the horizon — are testing California’s commitment to those increases.


So far, Newsom has not gutted some of his splashiest policy advancements, including free kindergarten for all 4-year-olds and free health insurance for all low-income adults regardless of their immigration status. But as Friday’s proposal showed, Newsom is willing to chip away at some of those promises to balance the budget.

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Allan said:

So...are we supposed to be outraged? Reducing costs to combat deficits is a bad thing for the right now?

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VySky said:

So to our California peeps, Newsom says you're not taxed enough

Are you willing and able to dig in deeper?

With a deficit of 45 Billion what could go wrong?

Oh, you scale back expectations

Emphasis mine.

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Gov. Gavin Newsom proposes painful cuts to close California's growing budget deficit

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed a series of painful budget cuts to close the state's growing deficit. Newsom said Friday the state's deficit is $27.6 billion.

apnews.com

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Exquisitor said:

So it's not fake news, Newsom (7) is not doing well in California.

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mrjurrs said:

How do you draw that conclusion?

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Exquisitor said:

I don't know, is he doing good enough to run for President?

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Roadvirus said:

Stop funding San Fran's "Free booze for drunk homeless people" project for a start.

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Groogrux said:

Seriously. What kind of idiotic government thinks supplying alcohol to drunks is a better use of funds than free kindergarten for children? Mind blowing stupidity.

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VySky said:

Cost which a reasonable person would have never added.

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