The enactment of the GOP federal tax plan has major implications for our state. Beyond being a big giveaway to the wealthy, this tax bill paves the way for major federal cuts to vital services and supports that touch the lives of millions of Californians — in turn, putting significant new pressure on our state budget.
This means that California's 2018 budget season will be a crucial time, fraught with hard decisions and other challenges.
It has already been widely reported that Republican congressional leaders plan to seek deep spending cuts that will significantly reduce funding for health coverage (Medicaid and Medicare), food assistance, and support for people with disabilities, thereby making it much harder for families who already struggle to make ends meet. With these and other looming threats, it is critical that our state take a fact-based approach to pushing back against these proposed cuts, thinking collectively about innovative policy solutions, and working together to protect the policy advances California has made.
