SACRAMENTO, CA—Today Senator Josh Becker (D-Menlo Park), the Chair of Budget Subcommittee No. 2, issued the following statement on Governor Gavin Newsom’s 2024-25 January budget proposal:
“Climate change doesn’t wait for a good budget year,” said Becker. “I appreciate the Governor protecting the majority of the climate investments we made in 2022 that now stands at $48.5 billion over five years for our climate efforts, which is significant. There are delays and cuts that I have concerns about, such as coastal resilience and building decarbonization, which I will be conversing with my colleagues and the Governor about. I do want to note California's GGRF [Greenhouse Gas Reduction Funds] — the roughly $4 billion we get from our cap and trade program — should not be used as a piggy bank for general projects. This money should implement our roadmap to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions.”