Reject Newsom’s Plans for Education Spending, California’s LAO Urges

The California Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) has published a series of reports criticizing Gov. Gavin Newsom’s education spending plans and recommended that lawmakers reject them. The reports were published in February after Mr. Newsom announced the 2024-25 fiscal year budget last month. The Democrat’s budget proposal is an attempt to balance out what his office estimates is a $37.9 billion shortfall, although analysts put that figure closer to $68 billion. Mr. Newsom’s budget plan includes proposed reductions to various school facilities programs and student housing. The governor has touted the proposal as a way of maintaining the state’s fiscal stability while preserving key investments across education, public safety, mental health care reform, climate action, and the homelessness crisis, among other priorities....