Gov. Newsom Calls for Cuts, Cancellations, Congressional Aid to Close Budget Deficit
On Thursday, Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled a revised state budget as California faces a deficit of more than $54 billion due to shrinking tax revenues and soaring job losses from the coronavirus pandemic. Newsom is calling for steep cuts to public education, asking state workers to take a 10% pay cut and canceling the expansion of programs and services intended to help low-income residents. Also this week, California state senators returned to Sacramento for the first time in nearly two months. Among their proposals are two innovative relief packages that would help people stay in their homes and offer tax credits to landlords in exchange for rent forgiveness. Meanwhile, House Democrats proposed this week a new, $3 trillion round of federal aid despite opposition from the White House and Senate Republicans.
Guests:
- Marisa Lagos, KQED politics and government correspondent
- Scott Shafer, KQED senior editor of politics and government
Coronavirus Takes Heavy Toll on Public Transit
This week, BART joined more than a dozen other national transit agencies to ask Congress for $33 billion in federal aid to help maintain services and prevent layoffs during the pandemic. BART alone is facing a $600 million deficit as ridership on its trains is down more than 90%. Bay Area transit agencies are already getting more than $1 billion from the first round of federal relief approved by congressional lawmakers in March. When the region eventually reopens, transit operators will need to assure commuters that it’s safe to use their buses, trains and ferries to return to workplaces.
Guest:
- Dan Brekke, KQED transportation editor
Future of Museums Transformed by COVID-19
As the pandemic closures drag on, Bay Area museums are scrambling to stay solvent. Art museums have closed their doors, covered their paintings and turned out the lights. Other institutions have a core team still caring for animals and other living exhibits. All are facing significant budget shortfalls, and by some industry estimates, one-third of all museums nationwide won’t be able to afford to reopen. And for those that do, questions and uncertainty abound over how to keep staff and visitors safe through social distancing, reimagined exhibits and virtual tours of popular permanent collections.