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California Gov. Gavin Newsom is pleading for the federal government to bail out his state as projected budget shortfalls for the coming fiscal year due to coronavirus-related shutdowns are expected to impact public service workers like police and firefighters first.
But oddly, Newsom’s plea of poverty comes as he and the Democrat-led state legislature authorize tens of millions of dollars to be paid out to illegal aliens living in the state as part of a “coronavirus relief” plan.
During an interview Tuesday with CNN’s Jake Tapper, the Democratic governor said the bailout money “isn’t charity,” adding that just a year ago, California had a $21.5 billion surplus.
“And here we are at $54.3 billion budget deficit that is directly COVID-induced. We have been managing our budget effectively, efficiently, paying down our long-term pension obligations,” Newsom continued.
CA Gov. @GavinNewsom says his state’s budget deficit is directly related to the coronavirus pandemic and federal funding should not be looked at as charity, “when it’s fundamental purpose of government is to protect people’s safety and to protect their well-being.” #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/9XpDngudxV
— State of the Union (@CNNSotu) May 17, 2020
“We’re not looking for handouts. It’s social responsibility, at a time when states not just California, large and small, all across this country, cities, and counties, large and small, all across this country are facing unprecedented budgetary stress. It is incumbent upon the federal government to help support these states through this difficult time,” he continued.
Tapper then said that a recent House-passed coronavirus relief bill valued at around $3 trillion — which would be Congress’ fifth COVID-related measure — is considered to be dead on arrival in the GOP-controlled Senate.
“Well, these same folks that say it’s dead on arrival, I hope they will consider this. The next time they want to salute and celebrate our heroes, our first responders, our police officers, and firefighters, consider the fact that they are the first ones that will be laid off by cities and counties,” Newsom said.
“The folks that are out there, the true heroes of this pandemic are health care workers and nurses. Those county health systems have been ravaged. Their budgets have been devastated and depleted. Their budget counts depleted since this pandemic. They’re the first ones to be laid off. So, we have got to square our rhetoric with the reality,” he added. “We have an obligation, a moral, an ethical obligation to American citizens all across this country to help support cities, states and counties.”
As for the state’s budget surplus of last year, it’s not clear where that money has gone or will go. CNN reports that Newsom and the California legislature will attempt to use some of the state’s $16 billion “rainy day fund” to offset some budget cuts.
But the fact that first responders are going to be among the first people laid off, according to the governor, is disturbing to many people, especially given that Newsom and the state are distributing $75 million in ‘coronavirus relief’ to the state’s illegal alien population, which is large. Earlier this month, a California court ruled in a case brought by Judicial Watch that the state had no legal authority to make payments to illegal immigrants but refused to stop it.
“Though the court found that Judicial Watch was likely to succeed on the merits (that Governor Newsom had no authority under law to spend the money), the court found that there was a public interest in sending tax money to illegal aliens during the coronavirus crisis,” a filing from Judicial Watch read.
Also, in early April, Newsom announced a plan to provide financial assistance to illegal alien business owners affected by coronavirus shutdowns.
@GavinNewsom: In California, we’re providing “emergency grants” to businesses run by illegal immigrants pic.twitter.com/b4bfMa6JH6
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) April 3, 2020
As Newsom pleads for federal taxpayer funds and doles out money to people in the country illegally, he’s cutting funding to other priorities, including eldercare facilities for veterans.
As for California’s finances, they would improve dramatically — and rapidly — if Newsom would reopen his state more quickly. But he won’t; he recently announced that counties could only start easing lockdown restrictions of they 25 or fewer cases per 100,000 residents.
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Jon@bizpacreview.com
Jon is a staff writer for BizPac Review with 30 years' worth of reporting experience, as well as an author and U.S. Army veteran. He has a BA in political science from Ashford University and an MA in national security studies/intelligence analysis from American Military University.
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