Briefs

Gov. Newsom Releases Revised State Budget

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom May 10 released a May Revision proposal for the 2024-25 fiscal year that ensures the budget is balanced over the next two fiscal years by stabilizing spending following the tumultuous COVID-19 pandemic, while preserving key ongoing investments.

Under the Governor’s proposal, the state is projected to achieve a positive operating reserve balance not only in this budget year but also in the next. This “budget year, plus one” proposal is designed to bring longer-term stability to state finances without delay and create an operating surplus in the 2025-26 budget year.

In the years leading up to this May revision, the Newsom Administration recognized the threats of an uncertain stock market and federal tax deadline delays — setting aside $38 billion in reserves that could be utilized for shortfalls. That has put California in a strong position to maintain fiscal stability.

Below are takeaways from Gov. Newsom’s proposed budget:

A BALANCED BUDGET OVER TWO YEARS. The Governor is solving two years of budget problems in a single budget, tightening the state’s belt to get the budget back to normal after the COVID-19 pandemic. By addressing the shortfall for this budget year — and next year — the Governor is eliminating the 2024-25 deficit and eliminating a projected deficit for the 2025-26 budget year that is $27.6 billion (after taking an early budget action) and $28.4 billion respectively.

CUTTING SPENDING, MAKING GOVERNMENT LEANER. Gov. Newsom’s revised balanced state budget cuts one-time spending by $19.1 billion and ongoing spending by $13.7 billion through 2025-26. This includes a nearly 8% cut to state operations and a targeted elimination of 10,000 unfilled state positions, improving government efficiency and reducing non-essential spending — without raising taxes on individuals or proposing state worker furloughs. The budget saves costs by streamlining procurement, cutting bureaucratic red tape and reducing redundancies.

PRESERVING CORE SERVICES & SAFETY NETS. The budget maintains service levels for many key housing, food, health care, and other assistance programs that Californians rely on while addressing the deficit by pausing the expansion of certain programs and decreasing numerous recent one-time and ongoing investments.

NO NEW TAXES & MORE RAINY DAY SAVINGS. Gov. Newsom is balancing the budget by getting state spending under control and reducing the reliance on the state’s “Rainy Day” reserves this year.