California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) has proposed cutting state expenditures in the Department of Justice and Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation as the state faces a massive deficit after enjoying a $100 billion surplus. Fox News reported on Thursday that Governor Newsom, D-Calif., proposed slashing budgets for public safety, including prisons and law enforcement, while simultaneously grappling with a crippling deficit projected to continue for years to come.
The California Democrat’s proposed budget, released in May, highlights the necessity of making “difficult decisions” to address the estimated $27.6 billion deficit. The proposed budget includes a $97 million cut to trial court operations, $10 million to the Department of Justice’s Division of Law Enforcement, and more than $80 million to the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Newsom’s office pushed back against Fox News, stating that there were no cuts to law enforcement but acknowledged a 1.6% reduction in the state’s Department of Justice’s overall proposed budget. This comes as California had enjoyed a massive surplus while emerging from the coronavirus pandemic, thanks to soaring Silicon Valley stocks and an abundance of federal cash from the Biden administration’s American Rescue Plan and other laws. However, overspending, stagnation in the tech sector, and delayed tax receipts took their toll on the state’s finances, forcing lawmakers to scramble to make ends meet.
Crime has become a significant issue in California, with many residents of Los Angeles and San Francisco reporting a surge in violent crime and retail theft that the state government claims it has been bringing under control. The proposed cuts to public safety budgets have raised concerns among someCalifornians who are concerned about how these reductions will impact law enforcement’s ability to protect citizens and combat crime.
As lawmakers continue to debate the state’s budget, Governor Newsom’s proposed cuts to the Department of Justice and the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation have sparked concerns about how these reductions may affect public safety and the fight against crime in California.