Yes, I’ve been reading today’s #CABudget, even though that assignment is in the rear view mirror for me. Once a budget nerd, always a budget nerd.

Sure, the proposals contained in the document are newsy. But I’m mostly struck my what isn’t always explained to avg Californians… And for me, tops on that list is the fact that the state is projected to still take in more tax $ in the coming fiscal year than the current year. That sure won’t strike some folks as “deficit.”

Focus on “revenues and transfers” below…

That's 40th governor on the seal, by the way... not extra large. Amazing rendition of the national anthem by Keena Mapanao, a COVID-19 critical care nurse from San Diego as State of the State begins.

As I've noted a couple of times recently, the first CA speech that seems to have been marked a "State of the State" address was by then-Gov. Pat Brown on Jan. 6, 1962 -- delivered, like Newsom will tonight, from LA. Our story the next day was from the indefatigable Jerry Gilliam. In 1973, then-Gov. Ronald Reagan called for tax rebates in his State of the State, with LAT coverage by Bill Endicott (who had an illustrious career with both the LAT and the SacBee).

New: @AGBecerra and @CASOSvote says @CAGOP agreed to no longer deploy "unstaffed, unsecured, unofficial and unauthorized" private ballot boxes. @AGBecerra @CASOSvote @CAGOP Padilla: "The California Republican Party can conduct valid collection activities, but they have to play by the rules and follow state law."

A brief #cabudget thread on a notable non-event... not enough for a story but, hey, enough, for Twitter.

In short: today's the day by which the June budget deal hoped additional federal coronavirus relief funds would come in.

And as everyone knows, that didn't happen. There were 2 viewpoints about how to deal with the need for more federal help when @GavinNewsom projected a $54B deficit in the springtime, a shortfall spanning two fiscal years: write a budget assuming the feds would come to the rescue... or... write one assuming they wouldn't.

"We are going to use the same rules" as Democrats, CAGOP chair @millanpatterson says about the party's private ballot drop boxes. And to @AlexPadilla4CA: "He has no foundation to stand on" in demanding the ballot boxes be removed.

So... The CAGOP position in a nutshell: this is community collection of ballots, nothing more... and that the boxes are only handed out to groups as long as they're staffed and that ballots are delivered within 72 hours, per state law.

With no indication yet of whether #CABudget deadline day ends with a deal or a pro forma vote and ongoing talks between Newsom and legislative Dems, there's this thorny issue: the budget bill to be voted on today assumes a gubernatorial action that hasn't happened. (Thread) The main #CABudget bill, #SB74, relies on the use of cash reserves from the state's "rainy day" fund. But under the provisions of Proposition 2 (2014), those funds can't be used without a gubernatorial declaration of a budget emergency. But... wait for it...

@GavinNewsom's midday COVID-19 briefing promises to be something different than those of previous days: a first glimpse into what he thinks needs to happen before lifting the stay-home order. Seems fair to assume some level of subjectivity on a topic that's so complex... Newsom now calls the road ahead one where "we begin to transition into suppression" and says science "not politics" must be the guide.