Lawmakers Say Newsom Staff Inflated Costs to Seal Fate of Health Care Bills

"While people are dying on the streets from a lack of access to behavioral health care treatment, state agencies continue to fabricate exorbitant cost estimates," said Sen. Dave Cortese, highlighting the dire consequences of inflated budget estimates for mental health legislation.

Sen. Scott Wiener described the administration's cost estimate for his mental health bill as "extreme and outrageous," indicating significant frustration among lawmakers over the perceived misuse of fiscal analysis.

The criticism from Democratic lawmakers, usually allies of the governor, shows a rare public challenge to his administration's actions regarding mental health, a core priority for Newsom.

Rodger Butler, a spokesperson for Newsom's agency, defended the estimates saying, "Legislative fiscal analyses from state government departments are informed by real-world, on-the-ground experience implementing legislative mandates," dismissing allegations of intentional inflation.

Read at San Jose Inside