How Newsom wants to spend $100 million surplus

Californians will receive money.

The governor intends to send $400 to most car owners in the state. He also wants transit agencies to offer free bus and rail rides for three months. The suggestion is just for drivers whose automobiles are valued less than a yet-to-be-determined limit. Newsom's offer for assistance is still being criticized by anti-poverty activists, according to a report by CalMatters.org.

'Texas, eat your heart out.'

Governor Newsom proposes spending $57 million to expand abortion access and fund reproductive health research. Texas recently enacted legislation effectively prohibiting most abortions and classifying gender-confirming care for transgender children as child abuse. Arizona, Florida, and Texas, according to Newsom, have greater COVID death rates than California.

Where is retail thievery going?

Gov. Newsom requested an additional $350 million from the Legislature in January to address organized retail theft. The governor appears to have followed the advise of the Legislative Analyst now that voter anxiety has shifted to other matters.

Satellites that monitor cows, fires, and drought

Governor Newsom has proposed a $8 billion budget to improve the state's electricity grid's stability and speed up the development of sustainable energy projects. $100 million will go toward carbon capture and storage technologies, which include pumping carbon dioxide released by smokestacks into the ground for long-term storage. Cal Fire will receive $233 million over four years to add 270 new staff.

'That's a number you've never seen before in K-12 schooling.'

By changing the way school districts receive state funds, Gov. Newsom's budget proposal would alleviate some of the fiscal worries raised by education authorities. Districts will have the option of being financed based on a combination of enrolment and pre-pandemic attendance rates under the governor's plan. This approach also increases education funding overall.

Higher education funding has increased, yet many people are still unsatisfied.

Governor Newsom wants to spend $1.6 billion more on higher education than he proposed in January. Almost all of that money goes to community colleges to help them achieve new objectives. The administration at Cal State University was less enthusiastic.

Infusion of funds for health insurance

The COVID-era federal premium subsidies for Covered California will expire at the end of this year unless Congress acts. The governor also refused to change his mind about expanding Medi-Cal to include undocumented people aged 26 to 49. Newsom also proposed $304 million to help middle-income households offset the expense increases.

To address California's homelessness epidemic, Newsom added $700 million to his original $2 billion budget proposal. Local governments have been asking for a long-term renewal of the flexible grants contained in last year's budget. Newsom also suggested $65 million for the administration of CARE Court, his plan to compel people with profound disabilities to get treatment.