California Black Media

California State Budget: Legislature Announces Counter Proposal to Gov’s 2024-25 Plan

Last week, members of both houses of the California legislature discussed plans to close the state’s $27.6 billion budget gap, restore funds to build housing, preserve social services, and help the state save money. The legislative hearings on the budget took place nearly three weeks after Gov. Newsom presented the May revision of his 2024-25 annual spending plan.

Published

2 years ago

June 11, 2024

Oakland Post

California Assembly Speaker Robert A. Rivas.

By California Black Media

Last week, members of both houses of the California legislature discussed plans to close the state’s $27.6 billion budget gap, restore funds to build housing, preserve social services, and help the state save money.

The legislative hearings on the budget took place nearly three weeks after Gov. Newsom presented the May revision of his 2024-25 annual spending plan.

On May 30, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Hollister) and Senate Pro Tem Mike McGuire (D-North Coast) announced a joint legislative budget proposal on May 30 that saves approximately half of the state’s reserves for future budget years.

“Fixing California’s deficit means making tough choices, so the Assembly came to these negotiations focused on preserving programs that matter most to Californians: lowering the cost of living, expanding affordable housing access and sustaining public services,” said Rivas.

The Democratic Party Budget Committee reviewed the governor’s proposed spending plan to remove various programs and reduce funding for agencies statewide. Newsom’s proposed cuts to public schools across California prompted teachers’ unions to push back with advertisements pressuring the governor to reconsider his budget plans.

The California Teachers Association argued that public schools could lose billions in the next few years resulting in a loss of teachers and resources in the state.

“This agreement is sound and makes the necessary tough decisions meeting the needs of this critical time, all while maintaining our commitment to strong public schools, investing in desperately needed resources in homelessness and workforce housing, health care access, resources to keep our communities fire safe, key climate investments and more,” said McGuire.

H.D. Palmer, a spokesperson for the Department of Finance, said that Gov. Newsom agreed to a temporary arrangement with the teachers’ union to delay spending cuts. The parties agreed to suspend Proposition 98, a law that guarantees an annual minimum amount of funding for public schools.

“The result of that is an agreement we can both support, and that advances two shared goals: avoid multi-billion-dollar cuts to schools in the near term and provide greater predictability for school budgets in the long term,” said Palmer.

The State Senate held budget hearings this week to finalize the plan due by June 15. By state law, once the budget plan is passed, the Governor will have to finalize it by July 1, the beginning of the new fiscal year.

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Oakland Post: Week of December 24 – 30, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – December 24 – 30, 2025

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3 days ago

December 25, 2025

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Oakland Post: Week of December 17 – 23, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – December 17 – 23, 2025

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December 20, 2025

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2025 in Review: Seven Questions for Black Women’s Think Tank Founder Kellie Todd Griffin

As the president and CEO of the California Black Women’s Collective Empowerment Institute, Griffin is on a mission to shift the narrative and outcomes for Black women and girls. She founded the nation’s first Black Women’s Think Tank, securing $5 million in state funding to fuel policy change.

Published

2 weeks ago

December 14, 2025

Oakland Post

Kellie Todd Griffin. CBM file photo.

By Edward Henderson
California Black Media

With more than 25 years of experience spanning public affairs, community engagement, strategy, marketing, and communications, Kellie Todd Griffin is recognized across California as a leader who mobilizes people and policy around issues that matter.

Griffin spoke with California Black Media (CBM) about her successes and setbacks in 2025 and her hopes for 2026.

Looking back at 2025, what stands out to you as your most important achievement and why? 

Our greatest achievement in this year is we got an opportunity to honor the work of 35 Black women throughout California who are trailblazing the way for the next generation of leaders.

How did your leadership, efforts and investments as president and CEO California Black Women’s Collective Empowerment Institute contribute to improving the lives of Black Californians? 

We’re training the next leaders. We have been able to train 35 women over a two-year period, and we’re about to start a new cohort of another 30 women. We also have trained over 500 middle and high school girls in leadership, advocacy, and financial literacy.

What frustrated you the most over the last year?

Getting the question, “why.” Why advocate for Black women? Why invest in Black people, Black communities? It’s always constantly having to explain that, although we are aware that there are other populations that are in great need, the quality-of-life indices for Black Californians continue to decrease. Our life expectancies are decreasing. Our unhoused population is increasing. Our health outcomes remain the worst.

We’re not asking anyone to choose one group to prioritize. We are saying, though, in addition to your investments into our immigrant brothers and sisters – or our religious brothers and sisters – we are also asking you to uplift the needs of Black Californians. That way, all of us can move forward together.

What inspired you the most over the last year?

I’ve always been amazed by the joy of Black women in the midst of crisis.

That is really our secret sauce. We don’t let the current state of any issue take our joy from us. It may break us a little bit. We may get tired a little bit. But we find ways to express that – through the arts, through music, through poetry.

What is one lesson you learned in 2025 that will inform your decision-making next year?

Reset. It’s so important not to be sitting still. We have a new administration. We’re seeing data showing that Black women have the largest unemployment rate. We’ve lost so many jobs. We can have rest – we can be restful – but we have to continue the resistance.

In one word, what is the biggest challenge Black Californians faced in 2025?

Motivation.

I choose motivation because of the tiredness. What is going to motivate us to be involved in 2026?

What is the goal you want to achieve most in 2026?

I want to get Black Californians in spaces and places of power and influence – as well as opportunities to thrive economically, socially, and physically.