Newsom: White House Unemployment Plan Would Cost State $700M Per Week
SACRAMENTO (CBSLA/AP) - Within hours of California's public health director resigning over a delay of reporting coronavirus numbers, Gov. Gavin Newsom Monday warned the state will not be able to afford a White House plan to split costs of unemployment benefits.
Under an executive order signed by President Donald Trump, states would pick up 25 percent of the cost, amounting to an estimated $700 million every week for California.
Once federal funding runs out, that cost would jump to $2.8 billion per week.
During his video update, Newsom said, "For us, the money simply does not exist."
California's budget includes more than $11 billion in cuts to colleges and universities, the court system, housing programs and state worker salaries.
Newsom's comments came hours after California's top public health official resigned following a glitch that caused a lag in reporting coronavirus test results used to make decisions about reopening businesses and schools.
Dr. Sonia Angell said in a resignation letter made public late Sunday that she's departing from her role as director and state public health officer at the California Department of Public Health.
Her letter to staff, released by the California Health and Human Services Agency, did not give a specific reason for her departure.
(2020 CBS Corp. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)