Local lawmakers oppose Gavin Newsom’s 2023-24 budget on important matters.

California’s Budget Woes: Lawmakers Push Back on Newsom’s Cuts

Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) unveiled an updated spending plan in mid-May, sparking concern from local lawmakers and public officials over multiple 2023-24 budget cuts. The Golden State’s estimated budget deficit has risen by $9 billion since the original budget plan was released in January. It’s a stark contrast from last year’s federal surplus. Newsom announced the budget deficit reached $31.5 billion as of May.

The budget struggles are a result of banking and stock market turmoil, delayed tax collection due to severe winter storm damage, and other things. To curb the dire fiscal situation, Newsom is slashing funds from a variety of sectors, including state prisons and public transportation.

State Prison System

Newsom is ramping up long-established plans to shut down state prisons as the number of incarcerated people drops and costs to operate these underfilled institutions remain high. The May revision suggests that California should shut down five prisons by 2027, an increase from the 2023-24 budget blueprint released in December 2022, which recommended three prison closures by 2025.

Lawmakers and residents from Blythe, located in eastern Riverside County, launched an effort in March to save the prison. The “Save Chuck” campaign advocates keeping the area’s second-largest employer open, noting 800 jobs and income of residents will be affected.

Public Transportation

San Francisco lawmakers are imploring the state legislature to include broader funds for the Bay Area Rapid Transit, which has been in crisis mode in recent years due to low ridership. Newsom’s latest budget plan trimmed around $2 billion to public transit funding, despite state leaders pushing for support after federal and state pandemic assistance ends.

“We are in the red zone right now when it comes to public transportation in the state of California,” state Sen. Scott Weiner, a Democrat from San Francisco, said in a Sacramento press conference on Tuesday.

Climate Programs

Newsom’s May revision to the 2023-24 budget kept the $6 billion cut to climate spending in the January legislation. Last year the state budget included a $54 billion five-year climate commitment, while this year, the state plans to spend $48 billion.

Environmental, health, and consumer organizations wrote a letter to Newsom this week, advocating more clean transportation and clean energy funding in the state budget. Federal funding that had been previously promised to assist with California’s transition to clean up the water supply, decarbonize buildings, and offer preventive heat measures will be in jeopardy if the legislation passes mid-June.

California lawmakers usually offer multiple bills or smaller appropriations before June 15 to include in the finalized budget. Newsom is required to sign a 2024-23 budget by June 30.