(CALMATTERS) – California shouldn’t rely so heavily on money from the federal government to close its budget deficit, a bipartisan chorus of lawmakers told the administration of Gov. Gavin Newsom during an unusual hearing Tuesday.

The governor’s approach — which would cut $14 billion to schools, health care and safety net programs unless more funding comes through from the federal government — ignores “pure science in favor of political science,” said Assemblyman Jim Wood, a Healdsburg Democrat.

Lawmakers have questioned whether Newsom’s projected $54 billion deficit is accurate, or a worst-case scenario meant to influence decisions by the Legislature and the federal government.

Lawmakers questioned Newsom’s finance director as they reviewed the $203 billion budget he proposed earlier this month—a task that is more tumultuous than usual.

“The effects of the recession are massive — on people and on the state’s budget,” Keely Bosler, Newsom’s finance director, told lawmakers.