Gov. Newsom on Measure EE: 'If I was a voter, I'd support it'

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (FOX 11) - For the first time, California Governor Gavin Newsom expressed support for Los Angeles' Measure EE.

"If I was a voter, I'd support it," Newsom said in response to a question from FOX 11 Los Angeles.

The parcel tax would raise funds for education in Los Angeles. Newsom said he was hesitant to campaign for local issues when he's governor of a state with 478 cities and 58 counties. Still, Newsom is clearly in agreement with this measure pushed by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti in California's largest city.

"The education system in this state is under-resourced, we put a record amount in this year's budget, $81.1 billion and it's still inadequate. The system is starved for money, our per-pupil investment is still in the bottom ten of states. We need to get to the top ten states," said the governor.

"In L.A., you have a real opportunity not to talk about it, but to do something about it! It's demonstrable and you add our budget with EE, that's a substantial improvement in the status quo that will improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of students and their families and ultimately lead to greater economic activity in the region," Newsom added.

Vote by mail ballots for the Measure EE special election went out on Monday, May 6, 2019.

The last day to register to vote on this is Monday, May 20, 2019. Election Day is Tuesday, June 4, 2019.

Hear more from Governor Newsom during his interview with Elex Michaelson on "The Issue Is:" airing Friday, May 17, 2019 at 10:30 p.m. on FOX 11 Los Angeles and Saturday, May 18 at 6:30 a.m. on KTVU FOX 2.