Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday suggested California consider withholding tens of billions in annual federal tax dollars amid reports Donald Trump is preparing funding cuts targeting the state.

Newsom’s suggestion came after CNN reported the president was considering a “full termination” of federal grant funding for California’s universities.

“Californians pay the bills for the federal government. We pay over $80 BILLION more in taxes than we get back,” the Democratic governor said in an X post Friday afternoon, referencing a recent analysis from the Rockefeller Institute that California contributed about $83 billion more in federal taxes in 2022 than it received back from Washington.

“Maybe it’s time to cut that off,” he added.

  • WoodScientist@sh.itjust.works
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    18 hours ago

    Set tax withholding to zero. Ie, set up your withholding so nothing is withheld. Have zero taken out of your paycheck by claiming a large number of deductions, or claim to be otherwise exempt from withholding. You can absolutely and legally do this. You can make it so that nothing is withheld from your paycheck. You’ll just have quite a hefty tax bill due come tax time. In this case, Newsom would be telling California residents that the state will prevent the feds from ever coming to collect that bill.

    Set their withholding to zero, not set their deductions to zero.