Budget/Fiscal

California Legislature Backs Additional Prison Closure as State Faces Billions in Prison Infrastructure Costs

By David M. GreenwaldJune 4, 20260 comments

Legislative leaders in California have proposed the closure of an additional state prison by the 2027-28 fiscal year. Proponents, including Californians United for a Responsible Budget, assert that such a measure would yield substantial financial savings, addressing the state’s persistent budgetary challenges and the correctional system’s estimated multi-billion dollar infrastructure requirements.

Prison Closures Could Save Billions, Challenge CA’s Rising Prison Spending

By Rebecca KavalauskasMay 30, 20262 comments

California’s correctional spending is projected to increase by nearly $1 billion, despite a decline of approximately 70,000 incarcerated individuals since 2010. This fiscal trend has drawn criticism from advocacy groups, including Californians United for a Responsible Budget (CURB), which argues the state is allocating increased resources to a diminishing carceral system. CURB advocates for prison closures as a cost-saving strategy, citing the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s (CDCR) failure to meet projected savings targets and the substantial expenditures associated with maintaining unoccupied facilities.

Newsom Defends Balanced Budget as Counties Warn of Cuts to Homelessness, Health and Family Services

By David M. GreenwaldMay 15, 20260 comments

California Governor Gavin Newsom unveiled a revised 2026-27 budget proposal, which the administration asserts eliminates the state’s structural deficit through 2028 while preserving major investments in healthcare, education, housing, and homelessness programs, despite county leaders’ warnings that the plan compromises local governments’ capacity to sustain critical safety net services.

California Schools Could Get Billions More in Newsom’s Final Budget Plan — with One Catch

By John FensterwaldMay 15, 20260 comments

Governor Gavin Newsom’s revised state budget proposes significant allocations for special education, an elevated cost-of-living adjustment, and a substantial one-time discretionary block grant. However, the proposal concurrently retains $3.9 billion in Proposition 98 funding, which educational organizations assert should be immediately disbursed to schools and community colleges.

Op-Ed: Why Is Newsom Obligated to Fund Prop 36?

By David M. GreenwaldMay 16, 20250 comments

Proposition 36, a crime and drug treatment initiative passed by California voters, has been met with resistance from Governor Gavin Newsom, who is refusing to allocate new state funding for the measure, citing a budget shortfall and the need for local governments to step up and fund it.