Tom Sheehy Breaks Down Newsom Budget with Assemblyman Josh Hoover

Sheehy Strategy Group President Tom Sheehy recently joined Assemblyman Josh Hoover on The Point of Order podcast to discuss Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed state budget and California’s broader fiscal outlook.

Drawing on decades of experience at the California Department of Finance and in the Legislature, Sheehy examines key assumptions underlying the proposal, including revenue projections, employment trends and long-term structural challenges. He emphasizes the importance of looking beyond headline figures to understand how one-time solutions, spending shifts and optimistic forecasts can mask ongoing budget pressures.

The conversation also addresses economic conditions affecting the budget, including persistently high unemployment and uneven job growth, which continue to influence state revenues. As the budget process moves toward the May Revision, Sheehy stresses the need for careful scrutiny of fiscal data and transparent analysis to give policymakers and the public a clearer picture of the state’s financial health.