Gov. Gavin Newsom is beneath fireplace for shifting blame to counties for his struggling homelessness plan — the newest instance, critics say, of him “passing the buck” on California’s issues as he eyes a presidential bid.
Newsom pointed the finger at San Francisco and Santa Clara counties Monday, accusing them of lagging on implementing his signature coverage, CARE Courtroom. He positioned ten counties on an “Enchancment checklist” whereas praising others like Alameda — threatening to yank funding from counties he thinks aren’t doing sufficient.
“I’m completely happy to redirect each rattling penny in these applications to the counties which are getting issues executed, interval, full cease,” Newsom stated throughout a information convention. “Except they cease doing what they’ve executed. Don’t make any extra excuses.”
Some weren’t shopping for Newsom’s robust speak.
“Governor Newsom retains passing the buck. When his CARE Courtroom initiative falters, homelessness worsens, or gasoline costs rise, he blames counties or exterior elements as an alternative of offering actual management,” stated state Sen. Tony Strickland (R-Huntington Seaside), in a press release.
“California has actual challenges and desires an actual chief who can ship with actual options, not excuses.”
Newsom’s CARE Courtroom has price the state some $300 million however helped far fewer folks than hoped, in line with a Calmatters investigation.
Newsom initially estimated between 7,000 and 12,000 folks statewide would qualify for CARE court docket, however California courts have acquired simply 3,800 CARE petitions — with most tossed out in counties like San Francisco and Los Angeles.
State Sen. Roger Niello (R-Sacramento) stated he supported the CARE Courtroom concept as a solution to compel mentally sick or substance-addicted folks into therapy. However he pointed to Newsom’s refusal to fund related objectives via Prop. 36, which voters handed overwhelmingly in 2024, as “inconsistent and illogical.”
“Now he compounds that questionable logic by blaming the failure on native governments,” Niello informed The Publish.
“He has a repeated apply of blaming his personal shortcomings on others.”
After the Trump administration launched strikes on Iran over the weekend, Newsom was roasted on-line for showing responsible California’s gasoline costs, that are the very best within the nation, on the conflict relatively than state insurance policies that improve reliance on international oil.
“Everybody is aware of it’s Newsom’s insane local weather insurance policies which have given us the very best gasoline costs within the nation, not ‘Trump’s conflict on Iran,’” Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton informed The Publish.
“Newsom’s ridiculous spin is a preemptive strike on the reality: that when gasoline costs spike even increased within the subsequent few months in California will probably be due to Newsom’s conflict on California oil manufacturing, hurting the working class essentially the most. It’s simply the newest instance of Newsom not taking duty for something,” he added.
Likewise, spending exploded beneath Newsom’s governorship, fueling persistent deficits — however he blamed funds woes on federal actions, in line with critics.
“Gavin Newsom is completely centered on working for president of america at this level,” stated Jon Fleischman, a longtime Republican political strategist. “There are many issues happening with state authorities that he’s anxious responsible on another person — as a result of he doesn’t wish to be blamed throughout his marketing campaign for nationwide workplace.”
Niello pointed once more to homelessness, which surged from 129,972 in 2018 to greater than 187,000 in 2024 regardless of spending some $20 billion on state applications.
When that strategy failed — a state audit referred to as out Newsom’s homeless company for failing to carefully observe how cash was spent — the governor modified course alongside a brand new message of “it’s native authorities’s fault,” in line with Niello.
Some counties pushed again on Newsom’s criticisms on Monday.
Santa Clara County government James R. Williams stated its strategy was grounded in ”what works” relatively than ”defaulting to prolonged, pricey, and infrequently insufficient court-based processes.”
“Orange County is using the CARE intervention absolutely,” an Orange County well being company informed CalMatters.
