With the finalizing of the budget for 2017-18, I have joined with my Assembly colleagues to standup for California’s values of inclusion, responsibility and justice. This budget upholds our commitment to a better California by investing in our senior citizens, middle class families, and students. With a national political conversation focused on blame and generating fear of the other, California can stand proud today proving it is our differences that bring us to together to generate a responsible and forward thinking state budget.
This remains true for the 47th Assembly district where the new budget expands the state’s Earned Income Tax Credit that thousands in our district took advantage of to get more money back on their taxes. The budget also continues developing long-term strategies for making progressive improvements such as combating poverty, lowering prison costs and eliminating dependence on student borrowing.
The new budget also expands access to healthcare services for those who need it most, with funds from Prop 56 passed by voters last November.
This budget also signals our commitment to ensure that our children get a start on their success with greater funding for childcare resources and an increase in the full-day state preschool slots.
At the same time, the budget increases funding for K-12 education, community colleges, the UC and CSU and increases college affordability by maintaining the middle-class scholarship and creating more pathways for students to obtain degrees. These investments include $5 million for the creation of a Bilingual Teacher Development Program that I have championed. This funding will go a long way to addressing the state’s teacher shortage and ensuring students are adequately served in our state’s diverse classrooms.
The investments in this year’s budget are complemented by the legislature’s responsible commitment to plan for the future by growing the reserve, or rainy day fund, to $9.9 billion by 2020-21.
This budget brings vital resources back to the 47th Assembly district. These include bringing more judges to San Bernardino County, funding for the completion of a statue honor the achievements of Rosa Parks outside of the Rosa Parks Memorial Building, and regional specific investments in Public Safety.
This budget is only the beginning of my efforts to make sure the voice of the Inland Empire is heard in Sacramento, and I look forward to continuing to ensure that we get our fair share.
Budget Highlights-
-Keeps intact the middle-class scholarship.
-Provides additional funding for our community colleges.
-Allocates $15 million for homeless youth programs.
-Specifies additional funding for the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program.
-Maintains funding for career technical education.
-Provides additional funding to combat our teacher shortage including $5 million for the Bi-lingual teacher professional development program.
-Increases childcare reimbursement rates and expand access to subsidize childcare.
-Increases funding for breast cancer research.
-Provides funding for CSU to establish a hunger free campus program.
-Expands and ensures access to Cal Grants.
-Establishes the Every Kid Counts Act which encourages low-income families to open a matching collage savings account.
-Approves first round of funding for SB 1 projects.
-Expands Earned Income Tax Program for the working poor.
-Allocates two additional judgeships to San Bernardino County.
-Increases funding for patient staffing ratios in skilled nursing facilities.
-Increases K-12 student funding by $490 per student.
-Provides $50 million for additional funding for K-12 after-school and summer programs
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Contact: Galen Dobbins, galen.dobbins@asm.ca.gov, (916) 319-2047