Assemblyman Kiley Responds to Governor Newsom’s False Claims about Jobs Report

SACRAMENTO – Assemblyman Kevin Kiley (R-Rocklin) responded to Governor Gavin Newsom’s claim that California is leading the nation’s economic recovery.

“Does Governor Newsom really look around and think we’re creating 40 percent of the nation’s jobs?” Assemblyman Kiley asked. “California’s economy continues to struggle as much as any state in the country. Yet rather than face this reality and correct course, the Governor is presenting us with a Potemkin village.”

The facts outlined in the April jobs report paint a dismal economic picture for California. The state’s 8.3 percent unemployment rate is unchanged from March and the second highest in the nation, well above the national rate of 6.3 percent; Florida’s rate is 4.8 percent. The overall number of unemployed Californians went down a mere 3,200. In addition, the labor force participation rate declined in California while increasing nationally.

Despite these sobering facts, Governor Newsom is citing the jobs report as evidence “California is continuing to lead the nation’s economic recovery,” claiming that California created nearly 40 percent of the nation’s new jobs in April. In fact, the “unadjusted” figure is 14 percent.

California’s poor economic performance in 2021 is a result of conscious planning by the Governor. His January budget proposal forecast 8.5 percent unemployment for the year and predicted jobs would not return the “prepandemic” levels until 2025.

“As the Legislature debates the budget in the coming weeks, I’ll continue to advocate for a fundamental course correction that sets high expectations for a swift recovery and unleashes California’s full economic potential.”

This includes:

• Taking a science-based approach to school openings rather than being 50th in the country, so parents can return to work.
• Taking a science-based approach to business openings rather than being 50th in the country, so businesses can resume operations without fear of further shutdowns.
• Taking a science-based approach to masking rather than ignoring the CDC’s guidance.
• Structuring unemployment assistance to incentivize a return to work.
• Forgiving all COVID-related fines, penalties, and license revocations.
• Providing liability protection for businesses, while reforming PAGA and other litigation traps.
• Offering meaningful tax relief such as Net Operating Loss carrybacks.
• Removing arbitrary barriers to work such as Assembly Bill 5.
• Addressing the “surplus” with durable tax reform rather than arbitrary one-time payments.

Assemblyman Kevin Kiley represents the 6^th Assembly District, which includes the Sacramento, Placer, and El Dorado County communities of Cameron Park, El Dorado Hills, Fair Oaks, Folsom, Granite Bay, Lincoln, Loomis, Orangevale, Penryn, Rocklin, Roseville, and Sheridan.