In summary Los Angeles County recently declared the anniversary of the Fall of Saigon “Jane Fonda Day,” outraging California’s Vietnamese-American lawmakers. They’re glad the county is reconsidering the controversial decision. As Saigon was falling, Janet Nguyen’s uncle – an officer in the South Vietnamese Army – was taken before his village and executed. After the city fell on April 30, 1975, the communists put Nguyen’s father and mother in jail. Their “crime?” They got caught trying to escape the country.  After Saigon fell, Tri Ta’s father spent years in a re-education camp prison ..read more

In summary Gov. Gavin Newsom is recommending small cuts to the state prison system, avoiding the closures of additional facilities. Gov. Gavin Newsom faces a huge deficit this spring, and he has one especially big money-saving option that he’s not using. California’s rapidly falling inmate population could allow Newsom to close as many as five more prisons, analysts say, saving $1 billion a year at a moment when he’s pulling from reserves to bring the state budget into the black.  Instead, Newsom wants to take a more cautious approach to trimming prison beds. His new budget proposal ca ..read more

In summary In Gov. Gavin Newsom’s revised budget, he proposed significant cuts to the Middle Class Scholarship, which provides financial aid to more than 300,000 students. He also signaled that he won’t expand the Cal Grant program, a plan that was based on adequate funding in the state budget. For students struggling with the cost of college, Gov. Gavin Newsom has some bad news: there may be less financial aid this fall.  In today’s state budget revision, which gets finalized in June, Newsom proposed significant cuts to one of the state’s largest financial aid programs, the Middle Cla ..read more

In summary Gavin Newsom proposes a mix of spending cuts and using reserves to balance the state budget. He says that core services will be largely untouched, but some existing programs would be affected. Faced with ongoing weaknesses in state finances, Gov. Gavin Newsom put forward a revised budget plan today that he said aims to stabilize California in the longer term by addressing a “sizable deficit” estimated at $56 billion over the next two fiscal years. Looking beyond the typical annual budget cycle, Newsom proposed more than $30 billion in ongoing and one-time spending cuts, including ..read more

In summary Today, California’s governor unveils his revised 2024-25 state budget proposal. Keep up with his catchphrases with CalMatters’ trademark game. If it’s another big speech by Gov. Gavin Newsom, then it must be time for CalMatters’ Newsom lingo bingo. This is our third edition because, you know, our governor comes up with new turns of phrase — whether or not they’re used in everyday conversation.  Today, he’s set to present his revised budget and how to handle the state’s multi-billion-dollar deficit. So don’t be surprised if plenty of financial terms are sprinkled throughout ..read more

In summary From prohibiting non-disclosure agreements in bill negotiations to protecting utility ratepayers, bills keep dying this year despite lawmakers refusing to say “no” when it came time to vote. Is it time for the rules to change? Among the most controversial bills that died this spring was a measure prompted by allegations that Gov. Gavin Newsom secured a lucrative benefit for a billionaire supporter by exempting his restaurants from a minimum wage increase. Newsom dismissed the allegations as “absurd,” but KCRA 3 reported that the public might never get a full accounting of what ha ..read more

In summary The California Supreme Court will decide in the coming weeks whether to kick a measure off the November ballot that would make it more difficult to raise taxes. The case pits Democratic leaders and unions against business and taxpayer groups. The California Supreme Court will decide in the coming weeks whether to remove a sweeping anti-tax measure from the November ballot, blocking an effort to increase the requirements for implementing taxes, fees and other government charges in the state before voters have a chance to weigh in. Gov. Gavin Newsom, the Legislature and others sued ..read more

In summary The state’s average price at the pump is up 55 cents from a year ago as the more expensive summer blend kicks in, with a gas tax hike starting July 1. Legislators want to know what a new watchdog is doing to help consumers. Lea esta historia en Español Californians pay more at the pump than residents of any other state — an average of $5.34 a gallon for regular unleaded, compared to the national average of $3.64, according to AAA. And in some counties, the sticker shock is even worse — $6.80 in Alpine, $6.29 in Mono and $5.85 in Humboldt, for example.  Statewide, gas prices ..read more

In summary The Newsom administration wants state employees in the office at least twice a week. Many civil servants prefer working from home, and their unions are fighting to protect generous telework policies. California state agencies can compel employees to come to the office even if their union-negotiated contracts promise them the right to work from home. That’s the gist of a labor arbitrator’s decision in a dispute between the California Public Employees’ Retirement System and the union that represents state attorneys.  The decision came down last week in midst of the Newsom admi ..read more

In summary In the wake of campus protests, Republican leaders in the Legislature say that students who committed violent or criminal acts shouldn’t receive Cal Grants. Lea esta historia en Español As campus tensions escalate over student encampments to protest the war in Gaza — with canceled classes, violent clashes and mass arrests in recent days — Republican leaders in the California Legislature are calling for the state to use its upcoming budget process to punish demonstrators who they say have gone too far. Senate Republican Leader Brian Jones of San Diego and Assembly Republican Leade ..read more