Commentary
Governments run on money. So of course, the most important thing any government does is pass a budget.
For the first time since he became governor four years ago, Gov. Gavin Newsom is going to face a tough battle in the run-up to the June 15 constitutional deadline to pass a budget. Up until now, the situation was divvying up surpluses with the legislative bosses. Now, it’s going to be making cuts without—he hopes—tax increases.
The last big crunch came under Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in September 2008, when he signed the budget 85 days late, with major cuts to state programs. The next January, he signed a record $13 billion tax increase to pay for it….