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Governor-elect Xavier Becerra won the race and now sits behind a desk full of other people’s problems. Congratulations are in order — but so is a long to-do list. The headlines are already asking whether his first 100 days will show leadership or just more of the same politics that drove many Californians to despair.
What Governor-elect Becerra is inheriting
California is not a place that forgives an empty agenda. He inherits high gas prices, a crushing cost of living, stubborn homelessness, and a state budget that rewards political promises more than results. Governor Gavin Newsom leaves a policy trail with big ideas, big spending and mixed outcomes, and voters expect Becerra to fix what didn’t work — not simply polish the silverware.
Why the first 100 days matter
The first 100 days are not a media stunt. They are the time to show whether a governor will use real tools — budgeting, executive authority, and appointments — to get immediate results. Housing approvals, encampment coordination, shelter openings and a clear budget posture are all things a new governor can move on quickly. If Becerra spends those weeks on photo ops and speeches, Californians will rightly conclude he plans to inherit the problems, not solve them.
Concrete steps Becerra should take right away
First: stop hiding behind vague promises. Build EV chargers, yes — but don’t mandate a one-size-fits-all end to fuel options without affordable alternatives in place. Second: use executive powers to speed housing permits, cut red tape, and force accountability for existing homelessness programs. Third: signal fiscal seriousness with a budget draft that prioritizes measurable outcomes over feel-good spending. And a quick note of reality: defending big oil while taking its money looks bad. If he wants to win trust, his appointments and staff picks must favor reformers, not insiders.
Staffing decisions will reveal his real agenda. Pick a budget director and housing lead who understand outcomes, not just grant-writing. Watch for emergency orders tied to shelter capacity and for detailed metrics on placements into permanent housing. Californians have been promised solutions before; they need to see results. Governor-elect Xavier Becerra will have every chance in his first 100 days to prove he’s more than the successor to a costly legacy — but he’ll have to act like it.
