Child and youth advocates urge Gov Newsom to protect funding for kids
On August 12th, 2025, leaders from 116 child and youth-serving organizations and tribal communities sent a letter to Governor Newsom urging him to protect funding for child care and youth services by opposing a tax cut proposed by the cannabis industry. In the letter, child advocates applaud the Governor’s opposition to the Trump cutbacks to family services but challenge him to not cause further harm to low-income families by supporting the cannabis industry tax cut. It is estimated that the proposed tax cut will result in reduction of $180 million annually to these essential services, and close to $900 million over the next 5 years. On August 14th, child advocates from Sacramento, San Diego, Los Angeles and the Bay Area and a leader from a native health center in Humboldt held a virtual press conference to share their message to the Governor and to explain how cannabis taxes benefit children and families in their community. The tax cut legislation, AB 564, is currently pending in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Youth Funding Matters Now More than Ever
In 2016, voters approved the legalization of cannabis and were promised significant new revenue for child and youth services and environmental restoration. In 2022, the cannabis industry successfully lobbied for the elimination of the cannabis cultivation tax. This year the industry is seeking another tax cut that would result in a further decline in funding for child care and other programs. These cuts will be on top of the numerous cutbacks to federal programs that serve low-income children and families. For more detail, see our recent letter to the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee.
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