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Governor Gavin Newsom’s new “free diapers” plan looks nice in a press photo. But the closer you look, the more it looks like a political stunt that wastes taxpayer cash and feeds a friendly nonprofit circle. This is about money, favors, and a governor who wants headlines while Californians get the bill.
What is the diaper program?
The plan partners California with the charity Baby2Baby. The state says it will give about 100,000 new parents 400 diapers each. The price tag is roughly $20 million, with part already approved and more money proposed in the budget. The diapers will be handed out in hospitals as part of a “first-in-the-nation” rollout. That sounds generous — until you ask who is getting the money and why the state is running the program at all.
The math doesn’t add up
Here’s the simple sum: 100,000 babies times 400 diapers equals 40 million diapers. That works out to about fifty cents per diaper. Yet you can buy diapers at big stores for much less — often around sixteen to thirty cents a diaper. So taxpayers are on the hook for roughly double what shoppers pay in a normal market. If the goal is to help parents, why spend so much more than it would cost to just give families cash or a tax break and let them choose?
Cronyism and close ties raise red flags
There’s another layer that should worry voters. Baby2Baby has links to the nonprofit orbit around Jennifer Siebel Newsom. One of Baby2Baby’s leaders sits on a board tied to her group. That connection invites questions about who benefits. Critics say this looks like state money being steered to an organization inside the governor’s social network. Call it what it is: bad optics, and maybe worse. If you’re worried about public funds going to friends, this program gives you reason to be.
What voters should demand
Californians deserve answers: Why not give families the money directly? Why did the state route this much cash through a nonprofit with personal ties to the governor’s circle? And why are we paying far more per diaper than shoppers do at Target or Walmart? Governor Newsom is running for higher office and wants a compassionate headline. Voters who care about waste, fairness, and good government should demand fewer photo ops and more honest help for families.
