Newsom Provides False Commentary on His Budget Priorities
Having served on the California State Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee during my six years in Sacramento, I was recently challenged to take a closer look at Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed budget.
I started with his Jan. 10, 2024, budget message to the members of the California State Legislature. I was not amused. It was so erroneous that the phrase “snow job” came to mind. Let’s dissect just his opening sentence.
“Over the last five years, we have worked together to pass budgets that have reflected our priorities …”
Nice opening, but redundant flattery, as every budget reflects priorities. Then the comedy starts.
“… expanding access to education …”
The only area where enrollment is improving is with California’s charter schools. And Mr. Newsom and the Legislature, in conjunction with the California Teachers Association and related public school teacher unions, have done everything in their power to limit access to and growth of charter schools. They don’t even want charter schools to share campuses with failing public schools.
The simple truth is that parents are waiting in line to enter their children into charter schools. The Orange County Classical Academy in the city of Orange has a lengthy list of students wishing to attend. And why not? Charter schools outperform regular unionized public schools. And charter teachers are happier than their counterparts in public schools.
“… and [expanding] health care …”
“… combatting crime of all kinds …”
Perhaps Mr. Newsom should watch Siyamak Khorrami’s California Insider interview with Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire and get an appreciation for the crime that is rampant in the state.
“… getting tens of thousands of people out of encampments and into housing …”
“… building the infrastructure for California’s clean future while creating jobs …”
“… and addressing the accelerating threats of global climate change.”
Marc Joffe, a federalism and state policy analyst at the Cato Institute, and advisor to the California Policy Center, recently reminded me and others that: “When thinking about the climate change claims our political leaders make, it is important to recognize that California is currently responsible for about 0.75 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. As a result, no California-specific policy can ‘solve’ climate change. Any savings the state achieves from its many initiatives will likely be offset by growth in China’s world-leading greenhouse gas emissions.”
While I served in Sacramento, it felt like being in “opposite land.” The focus of the monopoly party and our governor is so off target. So much so that it’s easy for the governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, to take legitimate shots at the Golden State. When the two governors debated on the Sean Hannity Show, every graph that was put on the screen made California look awful. And it is. Thanks to a Democrat governor who has failed to focus on the most important priorities. It looks like the debate had an impact on Mr. Hannity, as he recently announced that he’s moving to Florida.
The opening sentence of Mr. Newsom’s budget message is rife with great material for a comedian, not for the head of the nation’s most populous state. If this isn’t comedy, which is usually based on truth, then it is a sad obfuscation of what is really going on. And if Mr. Newsom can’t figure this out, and soon, then God help the residents of California who have chosen not to leave.
This article originally appeared in The Epoch Times.
John Moorlach is the director of the CPC’s Center for Public Accountability. He has served as a California State Senator and Orange County Supervisor and Treasurer-Tax Collector.