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SACRAMENTO – Senate Republican Leader Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) released the following statement after the California Department of Finance (DOF) released a report forecasting a $54 billion deficit for the 2020-2021 State Budget. DOF also projected an unemployment number at 18 percent in 2020, which is significantly higher than the 12.3 percent seen during the Great Recession.
“Today’s announcement of a projected $54 billion budget shortfall reflects a grim new economic reality. As a result of the governor’s stay-at-home order, more than 4 million Californians are out of work, and we are faced with a catastrophic budget deficit. The governor must prioritize the budget to meet the immediate needs of our citizens and eliminate funding for pet projects. This devastating budget forecast is an unfortunate consequence of his decision to create a one-size-fits-all ‘new normal’ that strangled businesses throughout California,” said Senate Republican Leader Shannon Grove.