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Strong Support, Harsh Criticisms Linger as Gov. Newsom’s Budget Begins Final Negotiations

Newsom’s budget includes increased investments to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars in education (at all levels), housing, the private sector, clean energy, agriculture, reproductive health, public safety, and more. As California makes investments and builds programs, the governor said, its spending must reflect its values.

Published

4 years ago

May 30, 2022

Oakland Post

California state capitol. File photo.

By Tanu Henry, California Black Media

On May 13, Gov. Gavin Newsom held a press conference in Sacramento to present his $300.6 billion revised budget for fiscal year 2022-23. He has dubbed the spending plan the California Blueprint. It is the largest budget proposal in the 172-year history of the state.

During the briefing, Newsom also announced that the state is expected to have a whopping budget surplus that will increase to $97.5 billion by the summer of 2023.

“Simply without precedent: No other state in American history has ever experienced a surplus as large as this,” said Newsom.

“Backed by a robust surplus and grounded in our unshakable values, we’re paving the California way forward to prosperity and progress for all,” Newsom continued, summarizing his spending plan.

“With historic investments, we’re doubling down on our formula for success and making sure no one is left behind – supporting working families and businesses, tackling climate change, expanding health care access, making our communities safer, and more,” he said.

As California makes investments and builds programs, the governor said, its spending must reflect its values.

“California values make us competitive globally,” said Newsom. “There is a reason California’s economy outperforms every other economy in the Western Hemisphere – 7.8% GDP growth just in the last year.”

State Assemblymember Chris Holden (D-Pasadena), a member of the California Legislative Black Caucus and chair of the Assembly Committee on Appropriations, praised the governor’s spending plan.

“I commend the governor for conveying the message through programs, healthcare, and pay equity that California will continue to thrive,” Holden said. “The proposal sets strong precedent for those still struggling through the disparate impact of the pandemic and ensures that California continues to keep the environment top of mind.”

Reacting to the governor’s budget announcement, Republican leadership in the California Assembly criticized theNewsom’s proposal, calling it “ineffective.”

“The Governor may not want to acknowledge it, but California is in crisis,” read the statement authored by Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher (R-Yuba City) and Assemblymember Vince Fong (R- Bakersfield), Vice Chair of the Assembly Budget Committee.

“Everyday Californians are being crushed by an affordability crisis worsened by 40-year high inflation,” Gallagher and Fong’s statement continued. “While the governor makes flashy political headlines, he continues to fail to make investments that will help Californians endure these tough financial times.”

On the other hand, California’s second African American Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tony Thurmond, said Newsom’s plan to invest $128.3 billion in education, “lifts up the most critical needs” of students and schools across the state.

“As we continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, California public schools will see a much-needed infusion of investments at a time when students and schools, especially those that have been traditionally underserved, require more support than ever before,” Thurmond said.

Throughout his budget presentation, the governor acknowledged the challenges Californians are facing because of rapid inflation.

“The most important thing on people’s minds, understandably, is ‘How do I lower costs?’ High inflation. Record inflation,” said Newsom. “What are we going to do to ease that burden?”

“That’s why we are proposing $18.1 billion to put back in the pockets of tens of millions of Californians,” Newsom continued.

The governor’s inflation relief plan includes $11.5 billion in tax refunds; $2.7 billion in emergency rental assistance; $750 million for free public transit; $933 million in stipends for hospital and nursing home staff; $1.4 billion to help low-income families pay utility bills; $304 million in middle class health care subsidies; $439 million to offset a proposed diesel tax pause; $157 million to cover fee waivers for childcare, among other investments.

Assemblymember James Ramos (D-Highland), the only Native American member of the California Legislature, says he looks forward to working with the governor to hammer out the details of the budget plan.

“Confronting the deadly fentanyl crisis, retail theft, supporting mental health services and fighting to reduce the numbers of murdered and missing Indigenous people have also been the focus of my legislation since assuming office,” Ramos said.

Three days after the governor unveiled his budget proposal, California’s non-partisan, independent Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) warned that the state could face an economic downturn soon.

“Predicting precisely when the next recession will occur is not possible. However, certain economic indicators historically have offered warning signs that a recession is on the horizon. Many of these indicators currently suggest a heightened risk of a recession within two years,” the LAO report stated.

Republican leaders criticized what they called the Governor’s ineffective proposals on the rising price of gas, housing affordability and the critical water shortage the state is facing. “Ignoring the people’s financial burdens, the governor refuses to provide immediate gas tax relief,” said Gallagher and Wong in their joint statement. “He did not propose any permanent tax relief to deal with a worsening affordability crisis exacerbated by his policies. Given the bone-dry conditions caused by the third year of drought, he stubbornly dismisses the cry to build more water storage and accelerate wildfire prevention projects.”

Under California state law, the governor and Legislature must complete the budget negotiation process and approve the spending proposal for the next fiscal year by June 15. The governor has until June 30 to sign it into law.

“This year’s budget is unprecedented in some of the challenges that it presents, but the Assembly has been preparing for months to meet those challenges,” said Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood). “It is also reassuring to have the Senate and Pro Tem Toni Atkins as teammates for this budget process. We know how to work together to present Governor Gavin Newsom with a budget he can be proud to sign by the constitutional deadline.”

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Activism

At the event, 16 entities signed the EIP pledge, vowing to take steps to increase public contracting opportunities in their spheres for small and historically underutilized businesses. The pledge signees included Hub International, the Port of San Francisco, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, California High-Speed Rail Authority, the Port of Oakland, Robert Graham of Webcor Builders, Holder Construction, the Weitz Company, Sky Blue Builders, Hornblower, Swinerton, Luster National, Talson Solutions, Center for Community Wealth Building, and the Construction Contractors Alliance.

Published

7 days ago

June 24, 2026

Oakland Post

Toks Omishakin, secretary of the California State Transportation Agency, was one of the speakers at the event. Photo by Shellee Fisher Photography and Design.

By Calvin Naito, Special to The Post

On June 4, a national nonprofit named the Equity in Infrastructure Project (EIP) – which aims to increase public construction contracting opportunities for small and historically underutilized businesses – held a day-long event in downtown San Francisco to rally supporters and build momentum to its cause.

It was attended by more than 100 individuals from public agencies, private firms, and other organizations committed to increasing contracting opportunities with governmental agencies, thereby creating more competition and lowering public costs.

The EIP event was held the Hyatt Regency San Francisco in conjunction with BuildIT, which aims to increase contracting opportunities for LGBT-owned businesses.

At the event, 16 entities signed the EIP pledge, vowing to take steps to increase public contracting opportunities in their spheres for small and historically underutilized businesses.

The pledge signees included Hub International, the Port of San Francisco, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, California High-Speed Rail Authority, the Port of Oakland, Robert Graham of Webcor Builders, Holder Construction, the Weitz Company, Sky Blue Builders, Hornblower, Swinerton, Luster National, Talson Solutions, Center for Community Wealth Building, and the Construction Contractors Alliance.

Following the workshop, BuildIT hosted a VIP evening reception honoring EIP, whose principals – Phil Washington, John Procari, and Rick Jacobs – accepted the award.

The event also set in motion the coalition’s efforts to implement recommendations from EIP’s “Procurement for Prosperity: A Playbook.”

The Playbook is a practical guide for public agency leaders and procurement and contracting practitioners to grow the capacity of small and first-time contractors, strengthen competition, and deliver better value for taxpayers.

Toks Omishakin, Secretary of the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA), a long-time EIP supporter, also told attendees, “This is about commitment. This has been a life’s work. This is a tailwind moment.”

The event’s presenting sponsor was Hub International, one of the largest insurance brokerages in the nation, which was joined by partners Travelers Insurance and the State Compensation Insurance Fund.

After the pledge-signing ceremony, attendees participated in a workshop in which they examined the policies, practices, and programs needed to meet EIP goals, learned from practitioners, and identified next steps toward utilizing the Playbook.

Ingrid Meriwether, formerly of Merriwether & Williams Insurance Services (MWIS) and current president of Hub International’s Aligned Risk Management, MWIS, described the hard-fought lessons she and her MWIS team have learned over the last three decades administering contractor development programs (CDPs) for the City and County of San Francisco, Alameda County, City of Los Angeles, LA Metro, and other municipalities.

The CDPs help small and local construction firms win public infrastructure contracts with these government agencies. The program provides bonding assistance, contract financing, technical support, training, and other services to underrepresented businesses funded by public agencies who seek greater contracting participation with these firms.

Merriwether said programs like these “break down systemic barriers, create greater fairness, and save taxpayers money by enabling more competition. The contractor development programs have, cumulatively, over two decades, helped contractors access over $1 billion in bonding, supporting over $380 million in awarded contracts, and maintaining a loss ratio 250 times lower than the industry average – while saving participating municipalities more than $27 million in contracting costs as a result of enabling more competition.”

Rick Jacobs, EIP co-founder and co-chair urged attendees make plans to meet again in the near future “to continue building on this work, share progress on organizational commitments, and discuss how we can collectively advance the goals of the EIP pledge.”

For more information on the EIP and to access a copy of the Playbook, go online to https://equityininfrastructure.org/

Calvin Naito is communications manager for Equity in Infrastructure Project.

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Oakland Museum Presents Landmark Retrospective Celebrating Beloved Bay Area Artist Mildred Howard

“Poetics of Memory” coincides with a year of major recognition for Howard. In 2026, she received the California Arts Council’s 50th Anniversary Award, honoring artists whose work has shaped California’s cultural and civic life, as well as the Museum of the African Diaspora’s Artist Impact Award. In 2025, she was awarded a prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship in recognition of her transformative contributions to American cultural life.

Published

7 days ago

June 24, 2026

Oakland Post

Mildred Howard. Photo by Christine Cueto for the Oakland Museum of California, 2025.

Special to The Post

The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) opened “Mildred Howard: Poetics of Memory,” the first major museum survey of Bay Area artist Mildred Howard, on June 12.

The exhibition spans five decades of Howard’s influential work, bringing together immersive installations, found-object sculptures, archival materials, and new commissions that explore memory, identity, and power in American life.

Howard was born in San Francisco in 1945 and raised in the East Bay, where she went on to study Afro-Haitian dance, make and sell clothing, and experiment with collage and sculpture.

Her multimedia art practice emerged from these experiences, later becoming associated with West Coast conceptual art, San Francisco funk, and a vibrant community of artists like Oliver Jackson, Betye Saar, and Raymond Saunders. Since the 1970s, she has used found materials and family stories to explore memory—both individual and collective.

At OMCA, visitors enter “Poetics of Memory” through a series of intimate galleries featuring Howard’s early mixed-media pieces and sculptures, along with a large video projection of a number of her public artworks.

Together, they emphasize Howard’s interest in everyday objects as powerful carriers of individual and shared stories. Highlights include collages that remix images of the artist herself; found-object sculptures like The History of the United States with a few Parts Missing (2007) that address omissions in dominant narratives; and public works like “Locks and Keys for Harry Bridges” (2001) that transform urban space into a meditation on access and labor.

This culminates in a richly detailed “studio” environment, where works in progress, archival exhibition flyers, historic photographs of Howard and her community, postcards from fellow artists, and other materials offer insight into her creative process and daily life.

The exhibition then opens into a high-ceilinged, dramatically lit space that brings together Howard’s signature immersive installations. On one end, “Crossings” (1997/2026) – a field of hundreds of ceramic eggs leading to an ornate mirror – suggests cycles of birth, motherhood, and transition, while drawing on the emotional echoes of the Middle Passage. On the other end, “Blackbird in a Red Sky” (a.k.a. “Fall of the Blood House”) (2002) – a red glass shack bordered by a pond – also uses reflection and transparency to draw viewers into the work and prompt consideration of themes of identity and home.

Howard’s newest video installation, “Moving Stills” (2026), repurposes never-before-seen family footage she took as a teenager on a train trip to the American South. Projected onto cascading layers of translucent fabric that stretch across an entire gallery wall, the piece immerses viewers in a layered meditation on memory, migration, and time.

The “Mildred Howard: Poetics of Memory” exhibit will be on display through Oct. 11 at the Oakland Museum of California, 1000 Oak St., Oakland, CA 94612. Museum hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with extended hours on Fridays to 9 p.m.

This story is sourced from the Oakland Museum of California press office.

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Alameda County

Ferry Fares to Increase July 1 as Ridership Hits Record Highs

The Oakland and Alameda routes will increase from $4.90 to $5.10, the South San Francisco route will go up from $7.40 to $7.60, and the Vallejo route will increase from $9.90 to $10.

Published

7 days ago

June 24, 2026

Oakland Post

Courtesy photo.

By Mike Aldax, The Richmond Standard

Starting July 1, the standard adult fare for the San Francisco Bay Ferry route between Richmond and San Francisco will increase to $5.20, up from the current $4.90.

Discounted fares for eligible passengers, including youth, seniors, people with disabilities, and Clipper START users, will rise to $2.60 from the current $2.40. Children under 5 will continue to ride for free.

The Oakland and Alameda routes will increase from $4.90 to $5.10, the South San Francisco route will go up from $7.40 to $7.60, and the Vallejo route will increase from $9.90 to $10.

The adjustments are part of a systemwide fare update approved by the agency’s Board of Directors, which is moving away from a flat 3% annual increase to route-specific pricing for the 2027 and 2028 fiscal years.

This fare update arrives as San Francisco Bay Ferry celebrates a historic May, transporting 301,270 passengers. The record-breaking figure represents an 8% increase over May 2025 and marks the third consecutive month of record-setting ridership.

Furthermore, it is the sixth month in a row that passenger numbers have exceeded pre-pandemic levels. Weekend travel has been a primary driver of this growth, with average weekend ridership seeing a 56% increase compared to pre-pandemic trends.

The agency states that the fare adjustments are necessary to ensure the long-term fiscal sustainability of public ferry services. By shifting to route-specific adjustments, the agency aims to offset rising operating costs while maintaining the high levels of service frequency and reliability.