evidence: California’s estimated $31.5-billion budget deficit is forcing Gov. Gavin Newsom to begin reining in his progressive policy agenda, in a stark change from the surpluses that graced his first years in office. [...] "Warnings of the governor’s unsustainable budget path are now colliding with economic reality," said Assemblyman Vince Fong (R-Bakersfield), vice chair of the Assembly Budget Committee, in a statement. "The fact that the governor continues to overspend creating structural deficits in future years is fiscally irresponsible." [...] Prior budgets allocated $54 billion over five years to Newsom’s initiatives to combat climate change, and his revised budget lowers that amount to $48 billion. The decrease reflects reduced investments in the state’s effort to switch to zero-emission vehicles and expand clean transportation infrastructure.