CPRA Strategies: March 2025 Look Ahead
Sacramento
California Jobs First Economic Blueprint
Last week, Governor Newsom announced the California Jobs First Economic Blueprint, a $245 million initiative aimed at driving economic growth, fostering innovation, and expanding access to well-paying jobs over the next decade.
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Key Highlights of the Blueprint
The plan allocates $92 million for new apprenticeship and job training programs, including $16 million specifically for the California Opportunity Youth Apprenticeship (COYA) grant. This initiative focuses on supporting young people aged 16 to 24, particularly those who are out of school or unemployed, by providing access to apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship opportunities.
Assemblymember Chris Ward Seeks $5 Million for Public Arts Funding
Assemblymember Chris Ward (D-San Diego), the newly appointed chair of the Arts, Entertainment, Sports, and Tourism Committee, is requesting the restoration of $5 million in public arts funding in the 2025-26 state budget. This request seeks to reinstate funding that was cut in last year’s budget cycle.
California School Districts Face Financial Insolvency
Several California school districts, including those in Oakland, San Francisco, Hayward, Plumas, and Siskiyou, are facing severe financial distress and risk running out of funds. They join 32 other districts—including Sacramento Unified and five school districts in Alameda County—that are nearing insolvency. Read the full list here.
California Competes Tax Credit
The California Competes Tax Credit (CCTC) application period is currently open. This income tax credit is available to businesses looking to establish or expand operations in California.
Important Dates:
March 6, 3-4 p.m. – Informational Webinar
March 10 – Application Deadline
Upcoming Legislative Hearings:
March 27 – Senate Budget hearing on Career Technical Education programs
April 1 – Assembly Budget hearing on the California Arts Council
April 23 – Assembly Budget update on federal funds
May 1 – Senate Budget hearing on the California Arts Council
Washington, D.C.
House Passes Budget Resolution
Last week, the House passed a multi-trillion-dollar budget blueprint on a 217-215 vote. Key provisions include:
$4.5 trillion in tax cuts
$2 trillion in proposed spending reductions, aligning with DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency)
$880 billion in cuts to federal programs, primarily from Medicaid reductions
$100 billion in new spending on immigration enforcement and military programs
$4 trillion increase in the federal debt limit
President Trump has endorsed the House plan, setting up a potential clash with the Senate’s version of the budget, which was passed the previous week. The next step is reconciliation, where both chambers will attempt to negotiate and finalize a budget resolution before March 14, when federal government funding is set to expire.
DOGE’s ‘Wall of Receipts’ Raises Questions
Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has unveiled a “Wall of Receipts”, a dashboard intended to showcase federal savings with a goal of cutting $2 trillion by September 30. However, recent scrutiny has revealed that many of these “savings” come from expired government contracts—some dating back more than a decade.
Musk’s Vision for AI in Government
In a three-hour interview on the Joe Rogan Podcast, Elon Musk outlined his vision for using AI to replace government workers. He also hinted at GSAi, an AI-driven chatbot intended to manage government functions. Speculation is growing over whether GSAi will be powered by Musk’s AI platform, Grok.
