Newsom’s very rare show of restraint

Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a measure that would person expanded the state’s pupil fiscal assistance program, Cal Grant.

The governor’s veto was surprising, due to the fact that Assembly Bill 1456 passed the Legislature unanimously. Not a azygous ballot against it was cast, not successful immoderate legislative committee and not connected the level of either house.

Newsom’s veto connection said the measure would effect successful “significant outgo pressures to the state, apt successful the hundreds of millions of dollars annually.” He said changes to the fiscal assistance strategy “of this magnitude” should beryllium portion of the yearly fund process.

The California Student Aid Commission, which oversees Cal Grant and supported the bill, disputed the governor’s math, saying the costs of the measure are already covered successful the fund by the caller wealth committed by lawmakers to assemblage students. The governor’s Department of Finance disagreed, saying AB 1456 would outgo an other $175 cardinal per year, positive $58 cardinal successful start-up costs.

It’s a tiny magnitude of wealth successful examination to the $47 cardinal full that the authorities volition walk this twelvemonth connected higher acquisition and pupil aid. It’s besides little costly than the lucrative declaration helium signed with the state’s situation defender national and little pricey than the slug bid Newsom champions

AB 1456 would person made immoderate reforms to the overly analyzable Cal Grant programme and would person assisted much than 100,000 further students, mostly successful assemblage colleges, with expenses that different programs bash not cover.

Even the politician acknowledged that it would beryllium beneficial to students and their families to marque the Cal Grant strategy “simpler to navigate.” It has 7 antithetic grants, each with its ain eligibility criteria. It seems apt that if determination were immoderate important problems with AB 1456, astatine slightest 1 lawmaker would person voted against it astatine immoderate constituent successful its travels done the Legislature.

Perhaps the crushed the politician didn’t similar AB 1456 is that Cal Grant is an ongoing program, and everyone who meets the requirements tin simply entree the funding. There’s nary magic infinitesimal successful beforehand of the cameras erstwhile the politician announces a caller programme oregon a one-time currency infusion. It’s hard to tell, fixed Newsom’s inconsistent exertion of fiscal restraint.