Governor Gavin Newsom went to Washington, D.C. this week to meet with California’s Congressional Delegation and the Biden Administration and advocate for federal funding to the state before President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January.
Newsom told a Spectrum News reporter in the capital that he has concerns the state will lose some federal funding — which Trump threatened while campaigning.
“I guess that's what people voted for, but I got to tell you, a lot of folks will be hurt if we don't push back,” he said.
Newsom said he’s advocated for funds related to the environment, disaster relief and health care.
That includes two Medicaid waivers — one to put more funds towards behavioral health treatment, and another to renew the state’s MCO tax, which California voters just approved through Proposition 35.
The governor also pushed for more federal land protections, clean air and water support, and approval on several waiver requests to support the state’s climate and emissions rules.
Lindsey Churchill works with the Rebuild Paradise Foundation, which supports survivors of the 2018 Camp Fire.
She said federal funds are already challenging to work with because of how slow they tend to roll out.
“When you’re trying to provide programs in a timely manner after a disaster, you don’t necessarily have time to wait a year or longer for that kind of funding,” she said.
She added that she’s also concerned about the Trump administration withholding funding, especially as natural disasters become more frequent and costly.
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