State Senate and Assembly Republican leadership responded on May 14 to Governor Gavin Newsom’s final May Revise, saying the proposed budget does not address the main needs of Californians.
Senator Roger Niello, vice chair of the Senate Budget Committee, said, “The governor missed the opportunity to finally present a sustainable and transparent budget. Rather, his final performance today was a magic show full of tricks to fool the people. The governor may tout the increase in revenue all he wants, but if he and the Democratic party do not address the seriousness of continued deficits, Californians will pay the price for years of fiscal irresponsibility.”
Assemblyman David Tangipa, vice chair of the Assembly Budget Committee, also commented on long-term concerns: “Despite record revenues this year, California’s long-term fiscal outlook remains deeply concerning. This budget reflects a pattern of deferred decision-making — kicking structural problems down the road for the next governor and legislature to inherit. Governor Newsom appears to define fiscal success narrowly: if the budget doesn’t collapse on his watch, it’s a balanced one. This boom-and-bust approach to budgeting is simply not sustainable.”
Since Newsom took office as governor, state spending has grown by 76 percent—from $140 billion up to $247 billion proposed for 2026-27—leading lawmakers to warn about an ongoing structural deficit that could continue into future years.
Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones said, “This budget just further illustrates what we already know: this governor is a fiscally irresponsible tax-and-spend grifter who cares only about growing his own financial and political capital, not about serving the people of California by boosting or protecting our quality of life. He’s defied the voters and destroyed public safety by defunding Prop. 36. Now he’s increasing taxes on employers by $5 billion in a move that will devastate our beleaguered business community – a business community teetering already thanks to his refusal to pay off the state’s federal unemployment insurance debt. But sure, let’s just keep spending and taxing with nothing to show for it in the end but a decimated economy and highest in the nation cost of living.”
Republican leaders say that their priorities—such as wildfire prevention funding and road repairs—were left unaddressed in this revision.
Assembly Republican Leader Heath Flora said: “This budget just doesn’t do it. We’re spending billions on the wrong priorities while we can’t even fully fund the basic things Californians actually need: wildfire prevention, funding Prop. 36 to get people the help they need, fixing our roads. We need to pass a budget that actually gets those things done.”
Niello has held various roles including chairing civic groups such as Sacramento Valley Lincoln Club and co-chairing partnerships focused on civic learning; he won election multiple times both in State Assembly beginning in 2004—and later State Senate—and served on committees like Transportation during his tenure according to his official biography.
