California’s Budget Blunder: Chasing Progressive Wishes While Ignoring Reality

$297 Billion Plan Bets on Economic Miracles, Funds Left-Wing Priorities Over Taxpayers’ Needs

All-Democrat Package Spends — Bigly

When you look at California’s nearly $297 billion budget for 2024–25, it feels like watching someone max out their credit cards while hoping for a lottery win. Governor Gavin Newsom and the Democratic supermajority have crafted what amounts to a spending spree that pours billions into progressive favorites like high-speed rail and government-funded healthcare, with a significant portion—about $8.4 billion—going to Medi-Cal coverage for undocumented immigrants in 2024–25. Meanwhile, the things that keep Californians safe—wildfire prevention and public safety programs like Proposition 36—get shortchanged. This budget prioritizes political posturing over fiscal sanity, leaving taxpayers to bear the cost of Sacramento’s misplaced priorities. Senate Republican Leader Brian Jones told the Los Angeles Times that it does “next to nothing to help” Californians struggling with rising costs, instead funneling billions into “widely unpopular programs.”

A Deficit Fueled by Wishful Thinking

Picture this: your family faces a $27.6 billion shortfall, so you raid your emergency savings and hope the stock market saves you. That is precisely what California lawmakers did, tapping $7.1 billion from the rainy day fund and $6.5 billion from other reserves, all while banking on a stock market rebound to plug gaps. Higher education dodged cut, but wildfire prevention, something every Californian knows we desperately need after years of devastating fires, got just $200 million this year. That is down dramatically from allocations exceeding $1 billion in earlier years. The Legislative Analyst’s Office warns deficits could top $30 billion by FY 2026–27. This budget’s optimism feels less like hope and more like denial—a recipe for future pain that working families will ultimately pay for.

High-Speed Rail’s Billion-Dollar Mirage

Here we go again with the high-speed rail fantasy. The budget earmarks $1 billion for California’s beleaguered High-Speed Rail project, whose Phase 1 cost has ballooned to approximately $128 billion (California High-Speed Rail Authority estimates), and is years behind schedule. Think about that moment: we are pouring another billion dollars into a project that keeps getting more expensive while delivering nothing to families worried about their next grocery bill or gas tank. Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher captured the absurdity perfectly when he noted the contrast: “This budget spends only $200 million to prevent wildfires and $1 billion on High-Speed Rail. Do those seem like good priorities?”

Hollywood Handouts Over Public Safety

While hardworking Californians worry about crime in their neighborhoods, Sacramento doubled the film and TV tax credit to $750 million over multiple years, handing Hollywood elites lavish incentives while public safety suffers. Last November, 68% of voters passed Proposition 36, clearly stating that they wanted more substantial penalties for repeat theft and drug offenses, alongside mandates for treatment in some instances. Advocates requested $250–400 million annually to meet the measure’s requirements, but the governor’s original budget provided zero. The final deal included $110 million in one-time funds, short of what voters demanded and communities needed. Assembly Republican Leader Gallagher captured many's frustration: “This budget breaks promises on affordability, wildfire prevention, and ignores the will of voters by underfunding Prop 36.” When families see retail theft in their neighborhoods and fentanyl claiming lives in their communities, Sacramento’s choice to prioritize studio tax breaks over crime reforms feels like a slap in the face that undermines public trust.

Medi-Cal’s Unsustainable Burden

Let us talk about a program that is spiraling out of control. Medi-Cal’s expansion to undocumented immigrants will cost approximately $8.4 billion in 2024–25, according to the Department of Finance, up from earlier estimates. Seniors, children, and young adults were already covered in prior phases, but the final expansion added 700,000 low-income undocumented adults aged 26–49. The result? Medi-Cal now runs a $6.2 billion deficit, forcing the state to borrow $3.4 billion and project additional shortfalls ahead. To contain the damage, the plan freezes new enrollments in 2026, imposes a $30 monthly premium in 2027, and cuts dental care and access to specialty drugs. Jones called the program “fiscally irresponsible,” saying it creates incentives for illegal immigration while shortchanging services for citizens. Assemblyman Carl DeMaio warned of a “poison pill” that shifts $11.2 billion away from healthcare for Californians to fund $12.1 billion in services for undocumented immigrants—a charge Democrats dispute but have not definitively refuted. For families already struggling to afford healthcare, watching resources get diverted feels deeply unfair.

Homelessness and Prison Closures

An extra $500 million for homelessness grants may sound compassionate. Still, if you drive through any major California city, you can see that previous rounds of spending have failed to reduce visible encampments or improve accountability. Meanwhile, the closure of the California Correctional Center in Susanville continues Newsom’s push to reduce incarceration, even as Prop 36 called for more resources to confront crime and addiction. Once again, the budget leans heavily into ideology over measurable results that families can see and feel daily.

So, Does It Matter?

These budgetary choices, from healthcare to public safety, highlight a fundamental disconnect in Sacramento. This budget reflects the unchecked power of Sacramento’s Democratic supermajority, and if you are a taxpayer wondering why your voice seems to matter less than special interests, this is why. With a $27.6 billion deficit now and projections topping $30 billion ahead, relying on reserves and borrowing is a gamble that could bankrupt the state. If you want lower taxes, fewer regulations, and spending prioritizing safety and infrastructure over political pet projects, this budget proves you will not get it from current leadership. The choice is clear: elect leaders who value math over miracles—or brace for more fiscal chaos that hits working families the hardest.