# Xavier Becerra inherits Gavin Newsom’s costly legacy — and his first 100 days will be crucial

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/xavier-becerra-inherits-gavin-newsoms-costly-legacy-and-his-first-100-days-will-be-crucial/
- Published: 2026-11-05T01:56:39+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-05T02:21:42+00:00
- Original publisher: New York Post (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://nypost.com/2026/11/04/opinion/xavier-becerra-inherits-gavin-newsoms-costly-legacy-and-his-first-100-days-will-be-crucial/
- Topics: World

## Key points

- Becerra faces calls to tackle California’s costs and debts quickly.
- The state owes the federal government $20 billion for unemployment insurance.
- The piece urges action on rail, petrol taxes and fire relief.

## Summary

The opinion piece argues that governor-elect Xavier Becerra must quickly address California’s high living costs, taxes, petrol prices and homelessness, which it presents as problems inherited from Gavin Newsom. It says Becerra has offered little detail on how he would change course, while warning against expanding state-funded healthcare and urging action on issues the author considers more urgent.

The author identifies California’s $20 billion federal unemployment-insurance debt as a priority, saying employers face extra taxes to repay it and that penalties could follow. The piece also criticises the state’s high-speed rail project, calls for cutting or suspending the petrol tax, and urges Becerra to seek federal fire-relief funding. These are the author’s arguments and proposals, rather than neutral findings.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.