Senator Portantino Issues Statement on the Governor’s 2020-2021 Budget Proposal
Sacramento, California- Senator Anthony J. Portantino (D – La Cañada Flintridge) Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee issued the following statement regarding Governor Newsom’s 2020-2021 Budget Proposal:
“I am proud of the work that Governor Newsom and the Legislature have done over the years to get our budget to the place that it is today. The 2020-2021 budget shows California to be in an extremely strong position for both the present and the future. The budget projects our Rainy-Day Fund to reach $18 billion this year, representing about a $2 billion increase over the budget last year. What might be most exciting about that is that the Rainy-Day Fund is approaching its 10% cap, showing that the State is fiscally responsible in creating a strong reserve fund while continuing to spend progressively on important issues. As my track record shows, I have long been a champion of California’s education system and take pride in the excellent schools of the 25th Senate District. I very much appreciate the Governor’s $84 billion investment in our education system, which is the highest investment ever for California. Included in this, the budget allocates $900 million to combat teacher shortages and an $895 million investment in special education with the $895 million representing a $255 million increase. Lastly in regards to K-12 education, I am excited by the budget including $300 million in one-time grants to develop community school models that support mental health. There is a mental health crisis amongst our children that we need to deal with and hopefully this will help us to do so. The only concern that I have in regards to the proposed education budget is that the cost-of-living adjustment for the Local Control Funding Formula did not reach the 3% target that I had hoped for and I will look into how we can reach that goal. Despite this, overall I am very excited about the K-12 education budget and look forward to continued work. In addition to K-12 education, the budget has allocated $36 billion for higher education which is $111 million higher than last year. This money will allow more of California’s students to attend college and hopefully achieve the American Dream. Included in this is $83.2 million for apprenticeship programs that will help students transition from college to sustainable employment. I also would like to take the time to thank Governor Newsom for his continued commitment to both our homeless and housing crises in California. For many in California, the cost of housing is simply out of reach which often leads to homelessness. In response to this, Governor Newsom’s budget dedicates $750 million for a newly proposed fund called the California Access to Housing and Services Fund. This money will be dedicated to funding services and creating truly affordable housing units for those most in need, which is something that California desperately needs and should be one of the State’s main objectives in regards to housing. Finally, I am excited to see that the budget includes a commitment to reduce the minimum franchise tax for new small businesses. This is an issue that I am passionate about and have authored legislation on in the past. I appreciate that the administration has listened to the concerns of small businesses and has acted to help them thrive. Although there is much work ahead, I am encouraged by the Governor’s 2020-2021 budget and am looking forward to continued collaboration between the Legislature and Governor Newsom in creating the best budget that we can make."
