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-Editorial
Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia (D-Coachella) has released the following statements on Governor Gavin Newsom’s initial 2021-22 State Budget proposal:
“As California moves to combat this pandemic, rebuild our economy, and uplift our families and communities struggling to make ends meet, I thank Governor Newsom for presenting us with a balanced budget that strongly aligns with our legislative priorities. This plan includes a set of urgent policy action items to bring immediate pandemic relief to our small businesses, schools, and direct assistance to our most vulnerable families. This coming week, I will be returning to Sacramento and focusing all my energy to ensure that our district receives our fair share of these investments.”
“In addition to our efforts to bring additional relief dollars to our region, I remain focused on strengthening protections for our essential workforce especially our food sector workers. We still have more work ahead to guarantee equitable and efficient vaccine distribution. I have introduced legislation that would prioritize vaccination and rapid testing resources for our grocery store workers, farmworkers, and other food sector employees who face a higher risk of exposure to keep us fed.”
Education
“I especially commend the historically high investments allocated for our school system. Our educators, students, and parents have been asked to meet unprecedented challenges that require greater investments to overcome. We must do all we can to get our schools and students the resources they need.”
“As an avid special needs policy advocate, I was excited to hear our Governor say he is all in for special education. In December, I introduced legislation to increase support program resources for children with disabilities and I look forward to collaborating with the Administration to better serve California students with disabilities and their parents.”
- Approx. $90 B for K-12 Schools
- $4.6 Billion Support for Extended Learning Time
- $2 Billion Safe Return to In-Person Instruction
- $400 Million School-Based Mental Health Services
Small Business and Economic Recovery
“I appreciate the investments the Governor has laid out in his economic recovery plan. Our small businesses are counting on our continued support and we need to deliver money into their hands as soon as possible.”
“SB 74, our legislative push to secure $2.6 B in small business grants, builds on this framework by increasing the amount of grant aid and directing these dollars to our state’s most impacted small businesses.”
$4.5 Billion Economic Recovery Plan including
$575 Million Small Business Grants including for Nonprofits
$71 Million in Fee Waivers for Most Impacted Business
$50 Million IBank Small Business Finance Center
$1.5 Billion for Infrastructure and Incentives to Implement the State’s Zero-Emission Vehicle Goals
Golden State Stimulus
$2.4 Billion to provide $600 state payment to low-income workers who were eligible to receive the Earned Income Tax Credit in 2019, as well as 2020 Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) filers
Housing and Homelessness
“Keeping Californians safely sheltered remains a public health imperative. This budget continues its attention to opening up affordable housing and local homelessness investments as well as expanding homeowner and tenant pandemic protections.”
- Overall, the Governor’s Budget includes more than $8 Billion in Housing Resources and $2 Billion in Homelessness Resources
Agriculture
- $170 Million FARMER Program
- $50 Million to Support Fairgrounds Operational Costs
- $30 Million Healthy Soils
- $10 Million Farm to School Program
Additional Investments
- $1 Billion Wildfire and Forest Fire Prevention
- $300 Million Vaccine Distribution and Awareness Campaign
- $325 Million Implementation of AB 617, Community Air Protection Program (Imperial Valley and the Eastern Coachella Valley are AB 617 grant eligible areas. Garcia’s joint authored AB 617)
- $30 Million Food Banks
- $16.6 Billion In-Home Supportive Services
- $5 Million to Develop Master Plan on Aging and Long-Term Care
The Governor’s 2021-22 Budget proposal is available at www.ebudget.ca.gov.
