With Governor Newsom’s final May Revise budget announcement imminent, Senator Suzette Martinez Valladares (R-Santa Clarita) and Senate Republicans are calling on the Governor to use his last chance to deliver what Californians actually need: public safety, fraud prevention, and real affordability.
Senator Valladares and her colleagues submitted their budget priorities directly to the Governor – a clear roadmap he can act on today, within existing resources, if he chooses to govern instead of grandstand.
“This is the governor’s last opportunity to demonstrate fiscal responsibility,” said Sen Valladares. “Under his watch, General Fund spending exploded 77 percent – from $140 billion to $248 billion – while revenues only grew 62 percent. That gap is not sustainable, and Californians are paying for it.”
Senate Republicans’ five core budget priorities:
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Public Safety — Fully fund Proposition…
MANAGEMENT & CULTURE (THE “TONE AT THE TOP”)
Fraud thrives in “sloppy” environments where leadership ignores the rules.
- The Fraud Triangle: For fraud to occur, three elements must be present: Pressure (the need for money), Rationalization (thinking “I deserve this”), and Opportunity (weak controls). You can only control the Opportunity.
- Whistleblower Hotline: Provide an anonymous way for staff to report “odd behavior.” Most internal frauds are caught via tips, not audits.
- Background Checks: Conduct credit and criminal record checks for all employees in financial or data-sensitive roles.
- Annual Ethics Training: Make sure every staff member knows that the company has a Zero Tolerance policy toward “borrowing” from petty cash or fudging overtime.