Gavin Christopher Newsom (born October 10, 1967) is an American politician and businessman who is the 40th governor of California, serving since January 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 49th lieutenant governor of California from 2011 to 2019 and as the 42nd mayor of San Francisco from 2004 to 2011.
Editorial: Newsom must lead on LGBTQ issues
The recent news that California has a $76 billion budget surplus was a pleasant surprise, especially after the COVID pandemic enforced belt-tightening last year.
Governor Gavin Newsom, who is facing a recall later this year, has been traveling around the state touting various plans for spending the windfall.
Lawmakers, who must reach agreement with Newsom on any spending plan, are salivating. Nonetheless, the governor has unveiled sweeping proposals like handing out $600 stimulus checks to two-thirds of the state's residents, providing rental relief, and eliminating debt owed for traffic fees and fines by low-income Californians.
