Newsom outlines his final budget proposal with no deficit, new major spending

Governor Gavin Newsom speaks about his state budget proposal Thursday, May 14, 2026, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks about his state budget proposal Thursday, May 14, 2026, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Republican state Sen. Roger Niello speaks to reporters after Governor Gavin Newsom spoke about his state budget proposal Thursday, May 14, 2026, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday proposed a revised budget without a deficit for his last year of office and the next, laying out a $350 billion spending plan that includes little new spending but also avoids major cuts.

Newsom is eager to safeguard programs that have defined his tenure as the leader of the nation’s most populous state and one of the world’s largest economies. As he gears up for a possible presidential run in 2028, the Democrat is promoting the budget as fiscally responsible, saying it protects California’s values but also builds up the state’s rainy day funds — a pointed rebuke to critics who say the state spends more than it has.