The new 2022-2023 state budget totals $308 billion, up from $265 billion in the 2021-2022 budget – due in part to how those revenues have grown rapidly in recent months, coming in over $10 billion. That budget reflects the priorities of Gov. Gavin Newsom, who signed the document June 30, and the state Legislature.
Last week’s “Virtual Member Briefing on the New State of California Budget” yielded key themes that point to how the technology industry can help meet the priorities set by Newsom and the Legislature, which include:
- Assistance and financial relief to millions of families and small businesses.
- Massive multiyear commitments to the state’s infrastructure including transportation, energy reliability and clean energy investments.
- Defending a woman’s right to choose and other health-care issues.
- Historic spending in education, including federal stimulus money.
- Building a reserve to protect against an uncertain future (recession?).
The enacted budget is available online, with the proviso from the California Department of Finance that details will be “coming soon.”
Among the areas set to get a significant slice of the budget pie:
- K-12 and higher education, including the state university systems and community colleges;
- Technology, telecom and transportation;
- Criminal justice, particularly the courts;
- Emergency services;
- Broadband infrastructure, which overlaps several of these areas.
- Health and human services.
- The California State Library system.
- The California State Payroll system.
More specifics related to the budget were reported Wednesday in Industry Insider — California.
Last week’s briefing was conducted by Alan Cox, publisher of Industry Insider — California and executive vice president of parent company e.Republic; and Dennis Noone, executive editor of Industry Insider.
A series of slides outlining budget highlights was sent to those who attended the briefing, along with a link to the on-demand video recording of the event.
