By Jeremy B. White

California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks at the Presidio Tunnel Tops before the signing of a new climate agreement in San Francisco on Oct. 6, 2022. | Jeff Chiu/AP

UP TO THE VOTERS — Gov. Gavin Newsom has nearly gone through the bills the Legislature sent him in September. Now he can turn to persuading voters in March.

The governor today placed a $6 billion bond on the primary ballot that would fund thousands of new mental health and substance abuse treatment beds. This was Newsom’s overriding priority this year, to the exclusion of other March ballot contenders — literally. Newsom wanted to clear the decks, and Democratic lawmakers obliged.

They didn’t finalize bonds funding climate infrastructure, school facilities, and housing, which means none of those proposals will go before voters until November. A constitutional amendment undercutting a tax-limiting ballot initiative was paused, at Newsom’s urging, to ensure it shifted to the general election. And Newsom has a bill on his desk moving three other constitutional amendments to November.

So the primary ballot is all about Proposition 1. Former Newsom chief of staff and ballot initiative veteran Jim DeBoo will help run the campaign. The governor ended June with about $5.4 million in his ballot measure committee and has since pulled in another $500,000-plus. (He spent millions on the last Prop 1, which protected abortion access).

Voters likely won’t offer the same level of support as the Legislature, where the bond proposal passed by overwhelming bipartisan margins. Polling shows a double-digit majority of voters think it’s a bad time for bonds. But Newsom and surrogates like Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn and Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg vowed victory. “We’re very excited about the prospects of our success in March,” Newsom told reporters.

IT’S THURSDAY AFTERNOON. This is California Playbook PM, a POLITICO newsletter that serves as an afternoon temperature check of California politics and a look at what our policy reporters are watching. Got tips or suggestions? Shoot an email to [email protected] or send a shout on Twitter. DMs are open.

DEBATABLE: They’re not running for president just yet, but California Democrats can’t resist throwing down with 2024 Republican hopefuls.

Rep. Ro Khanna and GOP hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy are set to spar after Khanna, a Silicon Valley Democrat, agreed to debate Ramaswamy. A Khanna spokesperson said they’re still working out the terms.

If this sounds familiar, it’s because Newsom is scheduled to face off with Florida Gov. and GOP presidential candidate Ron DeSantis in November. The rival governors are on a collision course after overcoming disagreements on key sticking points like a live audience.

Khanna and Newsom have several things in common: They’re both Bay Area politicians who have balanced a progressive streak with an openness to Silicon Valley.

And they’re both likely 2028 contenders who are being loyal party soldiers this time around, genuflecting to President Joe Biden while setting themselves up for the next cycle. The debates could help Biden by wounding Republican foes. They could also function like tryouts.

NOT SO TOXIC: Los Angeles City Councilmember Kevin de León is politically radioactive in some quarters after he was heard on the tapes that rocked LA. But KDL has some old allies in his corner as he seeks a redemptive reelection win.

New filings disclosing $117,000 in September donations contain some recognizable names. People who kicked in cash include two of the four Angelenos caught on the tapes — former City Councilmember Gil Cedillo and ousted Los Angeles Labor Federation chief Ron Herrera — and Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg, a state Senate ally who preceded de León as pro tem and saw de León advance his homelessness agenda.

Others included famous defense attorney Mark Geragos; former state Sen. Martha Escutia; former Los Angeles Councilmember Dennis Zine; Board of Equalization member John Schaefer; and Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris.

A STRIKING DEVELOPMENT: San Francisco teachers have voted overwhelmingly in favor of authorizing a strike, the United Educators of San Francisco union announced this afternoon. It’s an escalation of stalled contract negotiations that threatens to keep nearly 49,000 students out of class.

Support staff within the San Francisco Unified School District authorized a strike last week, though a walkout by either union is not yet imminent. Both groups would have to set a strike date and go through other procedural steps to walk off the job, and Unified Educators of San Francisco President Cassondra Curiel said at a press conference today that her union’s next move will depend on negotiations scheduled for Monday.

Staff in Los Angeles and Oakland schools went on strike this year, and more could follow before San Francisco. Teachers in Fresno Unified, the state’s third-largest district, appear likely to walk out on Oct. 18 in a dispute over salaries and benefits.

The Central Valley district has said it will more than double the pay for substitute teachers — bringing their wages to $500 a day — to keep schools open in the event of a strike. — Blake Jones

CRIME DISCONNECT: Property crime, robberies, homicide and rape are all down from last year in Los Angeles and only petty thefts have increased since last year, but there’s still a public perception that crime has spiked. (Los Angeles Times)

INSURANCE ANGST: Another insurance provider is exiting California as a wildfire-driven spiral of higher rates continues to roil the state’s market.

DRIVERLESS DRAMA: Driverless car company Cruise said it was updating its technology after a series of San Francisco incidents raised fresh concern about the safety of autonomous vehicles.

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