A $31 billion problem + Legislative Rs call for special session + Enter Ron Galperin
Good morning and welcome to the A.M. Alert!
FIRST UP — It’s budget day!
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has a $31 billion problem — namely, how to spend the state’s projected surplus. From law enforcement to schools, health care to infrastructure spending, there’s no shortage of areas where Newsom could spend state dollars.
The Bee’s Sophia Bollag got an early look at Newsom’s plans for spending on rural California, including proposals set aside $750 million in funds for drought relief and more for wildfire suppression. The governor also wants to spend money to help oil and gas workers plan for new careers. Check out her story for more details.
And on Saturday the Governor’s Office released Newsom’s plans to address the latest surge in COVID-19. He’s calling for $1.4 billion in emergency spending and another $1.3 billion for coronavirus relief in the regular budget.
As we count down until the big announcement, be sure to check out Bollag’s preview of what we can expect when the governor unveils his 2022-23 budget.
LEGISLATIVE REPUBLICANS CALL FOR SPECIAL SESSION
California Republican lawmakers are calling on Gov. Newsom to order an extra session of the Legislature to tackle the state’s homelessness crisis.
In a letter to Newsom, Senate and Assembly Republicans argue that previous state efforts to deal with the crisis have been unsuccessful.
“From the 2018-19 fiscal year to the current fiscal year, California has spent $10.1 billion in total funds on homelessness, yet homelessness in California grows worse than ever,” the letter reads in part.
The Republicans argue in the letter that the state has incorrectly viewed homelessness as an economic problem, while they argue that the problem is rooted in mental health and substance abuse.
“California will not be able to make meaningful improvements in homelessness until we are serious about addressing the need for mental health, drug, and alcohol treatment for homeless persons,” the letter reads.
The letter specifically calls for an extra session to address the following four categories:
- Assessment and accountability of homelessness programs;
- Focus and improvement of homelessness programs;
- Prioritize new funds on building critical infrastructure for homelessness programs;
- Targeted prevention and emergency services.
NEW DEMOCRAT ENTERS CONTROLLER RACE
Via Lara Korte...
Another Democrat has entered the race for California State Controller, hoping to fill the spot currently held by Betty Yee, who terms out this year.
Ron Galperin has spent the last eight years as controller for the City of Los Angeles, a job he hopes to parlay into the statewide job when he himself terms out this year. He announced his campaign on Thursday.
Galperin, 58, enters an already crowded field of candidates. He’ll go up against fellow Democrats Malia Cohen, the chair of the state Board of Equalization and a former member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, and Yvonne Yiu, a financial adviser and member of the Monterey Park City Council.
Then there’s Republican Lanhee Chen, a longtime Mitt Romney adviser who has already raised more than $1 million.
Galperin acknowledged that he’s going up against candidates who have had more time to fundraise, but the LA City Controller said he’s confident that he can rake in donations in a short amount of time.
He also has the endorsement of Yee herself, and is the only candidate who can actually put “controller” next to his name on the ballot.
“I’m the only one who is a controller already, and who actually brings to this job, the experience and the ability to actually do the job on day one,” he said.
As the state’s chief financial officer, Galperin said he’d bring transparency to the state’s finances, like he did in Los Angeles with “Checkbook LA,” an online database that allows anyone to see city transactions.
“You can type in the word ‘glove’ and see every glove that we bought, who we bought it from, what we paid for it…,” he said. “It’s a form of radical transparency.”
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Now that we’re back in session this week, I finally settled a bet I made with @AsmVinceFong when his @Dodgers & my @SFGiants were in the postseason during our Legislative recess. Didn’t go my way, but a CA company is the real winner here. Enjoy the @seescandies!”
- Assemblyman Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, via Twitter.
Best of the Bee:
California farmworkers now get overtime pay after 8 hours. Some growers say it’s a problem, via Nadia Lopez
Ten of California’s 120 state legislators have disclosed that they’ve tested positive for COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic almost two years ago, according to a Sacramento Bee analysis, via Lara Korte.
California prison officials are suspending in-person and family visits to inmates starting Saturday because of increasing COVID-19 cases among staff and inmates, officials announced Friday, via Sam Stanton.