Gavin Newsom Is Lying About California’s ‘Balanced’ Budget

We have to wonder if this fiscal shell game the Democrats are playing is part of a larger election scheme to help them in the midterms. Last week, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani claimed he somehow managed to close the city’s $12 billion deficit simply by ‘taxing the rich.’

In reality, the city is postponing payments to its retirement fund (good luck, employees!) and relied on a bailout from Albany to cook the books. It didn’t matter, though, because the Democrats’ low-info voters ate Mamdani’s lies for breakfast.

Now Gavin Newsom in California is doing the same thing. Yesterday, he teased a budget, and now he’s claiming it’s a balanced one that wipes out the deficit he created as governor.

You won’t hear this on Fox News:

California just released a balanced budget that wipes out the deficit this year AND next — while protecting health care and safety nets.

Meanwhile, Trump ADDED $2.4 TRILLION to the federal deficit with his “Big Beautiful Betrayal.”

Republicans…

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) May 15, 2026

“Republicans ruin budgets. Democrats balance them. Adulting matters,” Newsom wrote.

Never mind the billions in fraud in his state, including Medicaid fraud and $24 billion wasted on ending homelessness. Or the millions wasted on hearing aids for children and the ‘free’ diapers he’s giving to newborns via a nonprofit with connections to his wife.

Our budget proposes:
– $300 million to help families with Trump’s rising healthcare costs
– 50% tax cut for new small businesses
– $5 billion for teacher training, retention, and paid maternity leave
– The largest special education investment in state history
– $100 million for…

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) May 15, 2026

There’s just one problem. None of this is actually true. The deficit isn’t erased and the budget isn’t balanced.

In 2022, Newsom pulled a similar trick, saying in May his state had a $97.5 billion surplus. By November, it turned out California had a deficit of $25 billion.

Here’s how Gavin does budgets. He cooks the books to tell stories and then reality hits a few months later.

These clips are six months apart. pic.twitter.com/iIqagvHrPX

— MAZE (@mazemoore) May 15, 2026

Whoops.

You won’t hear this from a sociopath and a serial liar like Gavin Newsom:

By state law Newsom has to present a “balanced budget” each year BUT here’s his actual budget results at fiscal year end from Newsom’s last 3 years as Governor.

– FY 2023-24: ~$27–38 billion budget…

— Steve Eisner (@DoTheRightWing) May 15, 2026

It’s a lie. He’s pulled this trick every year for the past three years.

Lmao @GavinNewsom, “adulting matters” says the guy whose inner circle just pleaded guilty to stealing $225K from a campaign account while California’s real debt and unfunded liabilities sit at over $1 TRILLION.

— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) May 15, 2026

He’s not an adult.

Gavy didn’t “balance” the budget so much as cook the books.
– $20 BILLION loan that is in default.
– The “Sometimes Fast ChooChoo” is chugging along but is short $200 BILLION in funding.
– CalPERS has over $179 BILLION in unfunded liability. – There is an OPEB shortfall of $91… https://t.co/BzC0QpLvb7

— Tab Berg (@tabberg) May 15, 2026

The entire post lays out all the fiscal problems.

– CalPERS has over $179 BILLION in unfunded liability. 

– There is an OPEB shortfall of $91 BILLION.

– CalSTRS faces a $39 BILLION bomb of unfunded liability.

– $274 Million in deferred payments to UC/CSU/CC.

– $38 BILLION in bonds are authorized, with no revenue stream to pay them.

– $5 BILLION in deferred payments to K-12 schools.

Incredible mathing there, Gavin.

LOOK AT THEM. Shifting the Overton Window in real time. Mamdani in cahoots with the establishment Dems on it lol https://t.co/ZUr2jwrNtr

— man with no game (@SquintFeastwood) May 15, 2026

The timing cannot be a coincidence. This is going to be the message going into the midterms, and when the bottom falls out, the Democrats will pretend they didn’t say this and blame Republicans.

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