California’s Democratic governor is vowing to spend $15 million for increased security at “soft targets” like the synagogue where a gunman opened fire over the weekend, killing one worshipper.
Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday that he will include the money in his $144 billion general fund budget proposal, which he intends to revise by the middle of May.
The California Legislative Jewish Caucus had called for the 30-fold increase in a state program that last year spent $500,000 on grants to nonprofits organizations vulnerable to hate crimes.
California has spent $4.5 million since 2015 to augment a federal grant program created after the 2001 terrorist attacks. But it was reduced to $500,000 last year.