In revising California’s budget down to $203 billion Thursday, Gov. Gavin Newsom charted a plan to fill a huge deficit by tying many cuts to additional federal aid.

If the feds come through with $1 trillion for state and local governments that Newsom and other Democratic governors have requested, California would not reduce funding to schools, colleges, parks, child care, health care and other programs.

Federal aid at the level Newsom would like — not to mention passage before cuts to the state budget would take effect on July 1 — is hardly a sure thing.

“We are doing our best to help support people in need, but we now need the federal government to support not only the state of California, but other states across this country,” Newsom said.

Header Photo: Gov. Gavin Newsom discusses how additional federal aid could help California avoid trigger cuts in releasing his $203 billion state budget during a news conference in Sacramento on May 14, 2020.