Sen. Melissa Melendez and Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia have different views on the Governor’s 2021-22 budget proposal

SACRAMENTO — State Sen. Melissa Melendez, R- Lake Elsinore, criticized Gov. Gavin Newsom’s 2021-22 budget proposal for numerous reasons. She claims it provides for no reopening plan. Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia, D-Coachella, thanked Newsom for presenting lawmakers with a balanced budget that strongly aligns with their legislative priorities.

The budget proposal is a $227.2 billion fiscal blueprint that provides funding for immediate COVID-19 response and relief efforts where Californians need it most while making investments for an equitable, inclusive and broad-based economic recovery, according to the Governor’s office.

“California is in complete disarray under Governor Newsom’s management of the 2020 COVID crisis,” Melendez said. “His recently released budget provides no help to fix the (Employment Development Department) disaster where billions of dollars in unemployment have found their way into the hands of fraudsters. This budget provides no reopening plan nor the necessary relief for small businesses; it provides no successful roadmap to alleviate the growing housing, homelessness and mental health crises; and it provides no actionable help to the millions of school aged children who are falling behind academically. Now is not the time to spend taxpayer dollars on fantasyland narratives when so many everyday Californians are struggling to make ends meet.”

Garcia said the budget proposal 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, Garcia said he will be returning to Sacramento and focusing all of his energy to ensure that his district receives its 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,” Garcia said. “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.”

Garcia detailed some of what is in the budget proposal.

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-14 Schools
  • $4.6 B Support for Extended Learning Time
  • $2 B Safe Return to In-Person Instruction
  • $400 M 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 our 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 B Economic Recovery Plan including
  • $575 M Small Business Grants including for Nonprofits
  • $71 M in Fee Waivers for Most Impacted Business
  • $50 M IBank Small Business Finance Center
  • $1.5 B for Infrastructure and Incentives to Implement the State’s Zero-Emission Vehicle Goals

Golden State Stimulus

$2.4 B 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 B in Housing Resources and $2 B in Homelessness Resources

Agriculture

  • $170 M FARMER Program
  • $50 M to Support Fairgrounds Operational Costs
  • $30 M Healthy Soils
  • $10 M Farm to School Program

Additional Investments

  • $1 B Wildfire and Forest Fire Prevention
  • $300 M Vaccine Distribution and Awareness Campaign
  • $325 M Implementation of AB 617, Community Air Protection Program (Imperial Valley and the Eastern Coachella Valley are AB 617 grant eligible areas. Garcia joint authored AB 617)
  • $30 M Food Banks
  • $16.6 B In-Home Supportive Services
  • $5 M to Develop Master Plan on Aging and Long-Term Care

The Governor’s 2021-22 Budget proposal is available by clicking here.