SAN FRANCISCO—On Monday, April 17, news reports circulated that the $60,000,000 in funding promised by Governor, Gavin Newsom (D-CA) to the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) will be cut due to a large deficit.
In a June 30, 2022, press release, Sharon M. Lawrence, Esq., CEO announced the funding Newsom promised the CASA foster care program in funding.
“The CASA Association received an appropriation of $60,000,000 in AB 178. The funding will be paid over three years; it was included in the final budget for the fiscal year 2022-2023 signed today by California Governor, Gavin Newsom.”
Sharon Lawrence told the LA Times that the CASA already had plans for the $60,000,000. CASA announced on its webpage that the $60,000,000 in funding to pay for child advocates.
In January 2023, the expected state deficit Newsom had said would be $22.5 billion due to a decline in tax revenue leaped tremendously. According to current projections the state of California is facing deficits of $9 billion for 2024-2025, another $9 billion for 2025-2026, and $4 billion for the 2026-2027 fiscal year.
The Deputy Director of external affairs made the following statement to Fox News regarding Newsom not keeping his commitment.
“When the Governor submitted his budget to the legislature in January, the state had to close a budget shortfall projected at $22.5 billion. This required the administration to propose a range of measures to pull back spending that had previously been enacted. Pulling back future funding for the CASA program is a proposal, like many others, that would not have been put forward were it not for the necessity of closing the shortfall.”
According to its website, the CASA has 44 programs in 51 counties across the state. 12,680 children have been served. 78,154 children are in foster care through CASA, which is 16 percent served.
