‘Plausible but optimistic’: Legislative analyst gives mixed review of Newsom’s budget plan

GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM’S recipe for digging the state out of a multi-billion dollar budget hole has “strengths and weaknesses” while his revenue projections are “plausible, but optimistic,” the nonpartisan analyst’s office representing the Legislature said.

The size of the budget deficit is up for debate: Newsom put the number at $38 billion while the analyst’s office says Newsom’s own math suggests the hole is deeper — $58 billion — for the 2024-25 fiscal year, which starts July 1.