Gov.-elect Xavier Becerra speaks to supporters during an election night watch party at Drake's: The Barn in West Sacramento on Nov. 3, 2026. Photo by Fred Greaves for CalMatters
California Gov.-elect Xavier Becerra will take the reins during a delicate time for California.
He faces the prospect of deeper federal healthcare cuts, skyrocketing wildfire costs and a persistent cost-of-living crisis. But many of the specifics of his policies are still unknown after he ran a quiet race as a Democrat in a safe blue state, promoting few programs and avoiding making commitments.
Here’s what to know about what Becerra will tackle and how he’ll govern.
He’s open to new taxes
Becerra opposed the billionaire tax ballot proposition, saying he does not think taxing assets is a stable way to provide state revenues. And while he’s said he believes the wealthy should pay their “fair share” in taxes, he hasn’t explicitly endorsed any new income taxes.
But he has signaled that he supports the idea of taxing corporations whose workers are paid so little they qualify for public benefits or potentially ending tax credits to those companies. The state Department of Finance is studying what that kind of tax would…
