When Gov. Newsom took office in 2019, he made a promise to tackle poverty. Now with the pandemic receding, the economy rebounding and no major political opposition standing in his way, will he go back to his promise?
Gov. Gavin Newsom is an unlikely champion of California’s down-and-out. Yet the wine entrepreneur, who built his political career and fortune with help from the state’s wealthy elite, campaigned on a promise to address California’s disparities — and do so boldly.in January 2019, Newsom called the manifestations of California’s inequality — homelessness, poverty and rising costs — “moral imperatives,” not just policy priorities.
Now with the pandemic receding, the economy rebounding and no major political opposition standing in his way to reelection this year, Newsom has the opportunity to return to his original priority of reducing the stain of poverty on the state.He is expected to address the issue today in the final State of the State speech of his first term.