Newsom reaches early budget deal with lawmakers

SACRAMENTO » California Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders on Wednesday announced an early action budget deal to help curb the state's large projected deficit by $12 billion to $18 billion.

The governor, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, DHollister, and Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire, D-Healdsburg, announced the agreement just before lawmakers are set to head out for their week-long spring recess on Thursday.

The deal comes after Newsom visited the Capitol

throughout the week to meet with Rivas and McGuire, which he told reporters was related to early budget action.

“Despite the uncertainty due to the federal tax deadline delay last year, historic reserves and fiscal responsibility will assure a balanced budget that meets California's needs,” Newsom

said in a statement.

The announcement was light on details about what fixes are being implemented to address a deficit, which the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office has warned could be as high as $73 billion.

However, Senate Democrats last week unveiled a plan that they say would shave $17 billion off the deficit and calls for Newsom to spend more than $12 billion in Rainy Day Fund reserves.

The budget announcement was greeted with criticism by Senate Republicans.

Sen. Roger Niello, R-Fair Oaks, who vice-chairs the Senate Budget and Fiscal

Review Committee, blasted Newsom and legislative leaders for their “unilateral decision-making happening behind closed doors.”

“The fact remains that the state is facing a major deficit that has continued to grow, and this process should be open, transparent, and deliberative,” he said.