Gavin Newsom touted California’s roaring economy while also preaching fiscal prudence as he unveiled hisfinal budget as governorThursday — the largest in state history.
The governor’s revised 2026-27 budget proposes $349.9 billion in total spending and $246.6 billion from the general fund — the highest total spending level of Newsom’s governorship and a nearly $150 billion increase fromthe budget he inherited in 2019.
The governor’s critics were quick to seize on this point, accusing Newsom of living in a “fantasyland” and using mathematical magic forhis final budget, as huge upticks in spending suggest a rosier picture than many expected — just before he walks out the door (and likely runs for president).
An ominous report last month by California legislative analystspredicted the state’s excessive spending could lead to structural deficits as high as $30 billion a year.
State Sen. Roger Niello, vice chair of the Senate Budget Committee, told The Post that Newsom’s presentation was “a magic show full of tricks to fool the people.”
“It was a little bit frustrating to me that I had to listen to him talking about the federal government and president Trump for an hour before he even started talking about our state budget,” Niello said.
“He can complain about that all he wants, but the problem is the structural deficit that we have was created by the Newsom administration.”
Much of the actual spending growth in Newsom’s budget is concentrated in families, with an emphasis on schools, healthcare and social programs — areas that have exploded in cost over the last several years.
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The governor’s plan includes roughly $151.6 billion for TK-12 programs, including about $91.3 billion from the general fund. That marks a dramatic increase from prior years, when total TK-12 spending stood at roughly $80.4 billion in 2023-24.
Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos
