Californians say the economy is a top concern, believe the state is in a recession, survey says

Andrew Sheeler
·4 min read
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Good morning and welcome to the A.M. Alert!

CALIFORNIANS WORRY ABOUT ECONOMY, SURVEY FINDS

More than a quarter of Californians cited jobs, the economy and inflation as a top issue facing the state, according to the latest survey released by the Public Policy Institute of California.

The survey of 1,576 California residents conducted between May 17 and May 24, found that 27% of Californians worry about the economy, while other issues getting double digit support include homelessness (16%) and housing costs and availability (11%). Rounding out the top five concerns are crime (7%) and the environment (6%).

Nearly 60% of Californians believe that the state has entered into an economic recession, with six in 10 adults saying they’ve experienced hardships due to rising prices. Forty-six percent say housing prices have placed a financial burden on them. Nearly 60% said they support reforming the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to make it easier to permit affordable housing projects.

The darkening public mood about the economy is a bit of a contrast to the guarded optimism expressed by experts in the new UCLA Anderson forecast, also released Wednesday. It says California’s economy is likely to outperform the nation’s in the near-future.

As Gov. Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers grapple over a budget containing a deficit in the tens of billions, 39% of likely voters said the state budget situation is a big problem, that includes 24% of Democrats, 64% of Republicans and 40% of independents.

The good news for Newsom is that 61% of likely voters generally favor the governor’s approach, which involves avoiding a dip into the state’s Rainy Day Fund reserves. However, 56% of likely voters disagree with Newsom’s mixture of cuts and spending delays on programs including workforce training, transportation, housing and programs to fight climate change. Just 42% think those cuts and spending delays are a good idea, according to the PPIC.

Newsom and the State Legislature continue to enjoy a slight majority of support from likely voters, with 56% favoring the governor and 50% supporting state lawmakers.

REPUBLICANS TRY AN END-RUN AROUND THE LEGISLATIVE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEES

Legislative Republicans, working in tandem with a handful of Democrats, have introduced a constitutional amendment aimed at putting Alexandra’s Law before the California voters.

Alexandra’s Law would require judges to read a warning to people convicted of fentanyl trafficking that if they are convicted of a subsequent fentanyl-related offense, they could be charged with voluntary manslaughter or murder in the event that the product they sold led to a fatal overdose.

ACA 12 is currently in the Assembly, and has yet to be assigned to a committee for review. But it’s clear that the amendment is intended as an end run around the Assembly and Senate Public Safety Committees, which have demonstrated little appetite for bills that they see as increasing incarceration in the state.

The constitutional amendment has the support of the entire Assembly and Senate Republican Caucuses, as well as from Democrats including Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris and Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil.

“Fentanyl is destroying the lives of too many Californians and something must be done. Since this Legislature has failed to act quickly, California Republican lawmakers are asking voters to decide how to tackle the fentanyl crisis. If approved, the bipartisan ACA 12 will help hold repeat, deadly drug dealers accountable and work towards ending the dangerous epidemic,” said Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones in a statement.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“It’s clear from the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision overturning Roe v Wade that other hard-fought rights, such as marriage equality, are on the chopping block as well.

Which is why I’m thrilled CA voters will have the chance to enshrine marriage equality into law in 2024 by voting for #ACA5 to repeal Prop 8 and preserve the fundamental freedom to marry for all Californians.”

- Star Trek actor George Takei, via Twitter.

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