California will likely experience a $25 billion budget deficit. The following year due to high inflation and the potential for a recession. Despite optimistic predictions made in May that predicted a surplus of nearly $100 billion for the current fiscal year.
According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office. Which provides state legislators with fiscal and policy advice. The 2023–24 budget issue exists by low revenue projections. According to a forecast made public by the LAO, revenues fell short by $41 billion.
Because lower spending in other areas of the budget partially offsets some of those revenue losses, the estimated deficit is inferior.
Gavin Newsom, the governor, declared in May that the state would start the 2022–23 fiscal year with a $97.5 billion surplus. The state’s tax revenue exceeded expectations by $55 billion, resulting in excess.
According to Los Angeles, inflation relief for Californians was one of Newsom’s stated priorities at the time.
People are experiencing intense stress and anxiety, he claimed.
Rich people pay higher taxes in the Democratic-controlled state than in other states, which explains why there has been a sharp decline in state revenue.
Some of the state’s most essential government services, like free kindergarten for 4-year-olds and accessible healthcare for low-income illegal immigrants, are not anticipated to be impacted by the budget shortfall.
According to legislative analyst Gabriel Petek, the deficit is not insignificant but also controllable. “This is not a budget crisis, in our opinion,”
Anthony Rendon, the Democratic speaker of the Assembly, said that lawmakers “can and will protect the progress made by the budgets in recent years.”
To assist children, Districts must keep investing in hiring new employees and retaining staff. Advance and recover from the pandemic, Rendon said that the Assembly would specifically protect California’s historic school funding gains.
