Despite Alleged Surplus, California Budget Is Late and Unbalanced

California Gov. Gavin Newsom outlines his 2021–2022 state budget proposal during a news conference in Sacramento on Jan. 8, 2021. Rich Pedroncelli/Pool/AP Photo

Commentary

California’s state budget is supposed to be crafted by the June 15 constitutional deadline. For fiscal year 2021–22, which began July 1, it wasn’t. Instead, the legislature passed a “placeholder” budget—that is, a fake budget.