The tricks Gavin Newsom used to make his last budget look ‘balanced’
Gavin Newsom's latest budget proposal claims to be balanced, but it relies heavily on reserve funds and does not address California's long-term structural deficit. The budget includes a significant increase in expenditures despite a declining population and limited revenue growth. Critics argue that Newsom's approach is misleading and sets up future challenges for his successor.
- ▪Newsom's budget proposal draws on $20 billion from state reserve funds.
- ▪The Legislative Analyst's Office warns of a long-term structural deficit in California.
- ▪The proposed budget includes a 7.5% increase in expenditures despite lower inflation and a contracting population.
2 outlets in our directory ran this story, first to last over 11 hours. All of the coverage we found sits in one bucket: centre. That one-sidedness is itself worth noticing.
- ▪ The Tricks Gov. Newsom Used to 'Balance' CA Budget — RealClear Markets
New York Post files mainly under news. We currently carry 9,284 of its stories.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Opinion The tricks Gavin Newsom used to make his last budget look ‘balanced’ By Bruce Bialosky Published May 20, 2026, 4:52 p.m. ET See more of our coverage in your search results. Add The California Post on Google Gavin Newsom released a revised budget last week — the last of his governorship — and boasted that it is “balanced” for the next two years. Based on what he is proposing, he appears to be using some uniquely hallucinatory drugs. Newsom “balanced” the budget by drawing on some $20 billion in the state’s reserve funds — even as revenues rose more than projected, due to spending. It’s like pulling out your retirement savings when what you really need is to stop using your credit card.
…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at California Post.
Discussion
0 commentsMore from California Post
