YES. MHM. I LOVE DOING THAT.
WELCOME TO THE INAUGURAL. FIRST
HEARING OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE
ON POVERTY. AND ECONOMIC
INCLUSION. THANK YOU TO ALL OF
YOU WHO HAVE COME TO THIS
HEARING ROOM FROM ALL ACROSS THE
STATE. UM ON BEHALF OF. THE
STATE ASSEMBLY. WE ARE HONORED
AND GRATEFUL FOR YOUR ADVOCACY
AND YOUR PARTICIPATION AND YOUR
EXPERTISE. THROUGHOUT THE
HISTORY OF OUR STATE. WE'VE
CREATED ANTI POVERTY PROGRAMS TO
ASSIST PEOPLE ACROSS OUR
COMMUNITIES. SOME OF THESE
PROGRAMS AND INCLUDE THE COW
WORKS PROGRAM, WHICH PROVIDES-CASH ASSISTANCE TO LOW INCOME
FAMILIES. MEDICAL WHICH PROVIDES
FREE OR AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE
COVERAGE TO QUALIFYING FAMILIES.
CAL FRESH, WHICH PROVIDES
MONTHLY FOOD BENEFITS TO
INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES. THE
YOUNG CHILD. TAX CREDIT, WHICH
PROVIDES PARENTS WHO HAVE
CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF SIX.
EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT.
REBATES WITHOUT THE SOCIAL
SAFETY NETS. IT'S ESTIMATED THAT
6.6 MORE CALIFORNIANS WOULD BE
IN POVERTY. EVEN WITH THESE
IMPORTANT PROGRAMS. THERE ARE
STILL A LOT OF WORK TO DO TO
UPLIFT DISADVANTAGED
COMMUNITIES. TO UPSET THE SETUP.
AND TO MAKE SURE PROSPERITY IS
UBIQUITOUS. CALIFORNIA IS THE
HIGHEST CHILD POVERTY RATE IN
THE COUNTRY WHEN ACCOUNTING FOR
THE COST OF LIVING WE RANKED
35TH AND OVERALL CHILD WELL
BEING, WHICH INCLUDES EDUCATION
, ECONOMIC, SECURITY AND HEALTH.
THE STARK DIFFERENCES. ARE HARD
TO TOLERATE. IN THE FIFTH
LARGEST ECONOMY IN THE WORLD. IN
A STATE WITH MORE MILLIONAIRES
AND BILLIONAIRES THAN ANYBODY
ELSE. AND RIGHT NOW IN A STATE
WITH $100 BILLION SURPLUS. A
NUMBER THAT'S UNFATHOMABLE
UNLESS YOU WORK. IN CALIFORNIA'S
GOVERNMENT. AND THAT'S WHY WE
HAVE COME TOGETHER TODAY. TO
TALK ABOUT HOW WE GOT TO A
SITUATION LIKE THIS. AND HOW WE
GET TO THE KIND OF CALIFORNIA
THAT WE ALL WANT TO LIVE IN THE
ONE THAT WE ALL DESERVE TO LIVE
IN. WITH US THIS MORNING. WE
HAVE OUR OPENING PANEL.
POWERHOUSE OF A PANEL. WE HAVE
MICHAEL TUBBS, FORMER MAYOR OF
STOCKTON AND THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR. OF IN POVERTY IN
CALIFORNIA. CHRIS HOME EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF THE CALIFORNIA
BUDGET AND POLICY CENTER.
SHAMIKA GASKINS, FORMER
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
CHILDREN'S DEFENSE FUND, AND
CURRENT PRESIDENT OF GRACE AND
CHILD POVERTY, CALIFORNIA. MIKE
HERALD, THE DIRECTOR OF THE
WESTERN CENTER ON LAW AND
POVERTY. PASTOR JOY JOHNSON,
FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OF DR
JOHNSON, MINISTRIES AND LIFE
MATTERS, AND KATHY SANDERLING,
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. OF THE
COUNTY WELFARE DIRECTORS
ASSOCIATION. WE'RE GONNA GIVE
EACH OF OUR EXPERT WITNESSES. UP
TO FIVE MINUTES. TO SHARE WITH
US THE INFORMATION THAT WE NEED
TO HEAR TODAY AND THE ACTION
WILL STEPS WE CAN TAKE TO MOVE
FORWARD WITH THAT WILL START.
THE HONORABLE MICHAEL TUBBS.
WHERE YOU TALKED ABOUT THE
WORLD. HIGH SCHOOL. HAVE YOU
THOUGHT ABOUT. WE WANT TO BE
ABLE TO ENJOY THEIR LIFE LOOKED
AT THE EXACT.
FOR A YEAR AND DEPRAVITY. IS
THAT IMMORAL? BANKS, OR AT LEAST
WEEKS IS YET WE'RE HAVING A
CONVENIENT. IN THE WORLD TALKING
ABOUT THE SAME TOPIC. SO MY HOPE
FOR THIS COMMITTEE REALLY TALK
ABOUT POVERTY FOR WHAT IT IS.
PASSAGE PLACE. THAT'S A POINT.
ARE. HOPE YOU PUT YOUR REST OF
LIES. WE TELL ABOUT PEOPLE WHO
LIVE IN POVERTY THAT PEOPLE ARE
IN POVERTY BECAUSE THEY CHOOSE
TO BE IMPOSSIBLE. PEOPLE ARE IN
POVERTY BECAUSE OF RACE. THE
PROBLEM IS THEY CAN'T SPEND
MONEY. WHO ARE IN POVERTY
BECAUSE THEY DON'T WORK HARD
BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE TALKING
BECAUSE E EAT POVERTY TO HAVE
ABUNDANCE HAS THIS COMMITTEE AND
THE COALITION PARTNERS. WE
BROUGHT SCARY. TWEET REJECTION.
AND WE'VE GOT THE FACTS. WE KNOW
THAT CALIFORNIA. IS THE GOLDEN
STATE HAS THE HIGHEST
POPULATION. AS YOU SAID, MR
CHAIRMAN, THAT CALIFORNIA HAS
MORE. BILLIONAIRES AND
MILLIONAIRES, ANY OTHER COUNTRY?
ON THIS EARTH BESIDES AMERICA
AND CHINA. YET HAS MILLIONS OF
PEOPLE LIVING IN SQUALOR. WE SEE
IT EVERY DAY AND MANIFESTATION
OF WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DON'T
ADDRESS THE ISSUE, POP I KNOW
PASTORS AND OUR LAUNDRY ON OUR
FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND NEXT DOOR
, THE FROM UPSET AND FRUSTRATED-NOT JUST THAT HOMELESSNESS, BUT
THE FACT THAT THERE'S SO MUCH
AND SO LITTLE EXISTING SIDE BY
SIDE, AND THAT'S THE GOLDEN
STATE. STATE WHERE DEMOCRATS
CONTROL THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION.
SIMILARLY SENATE AND EVERY
STATEWIDE OFFICE IS A
DISRESPECTFUL NOTION. VERY
VALUABLE, SAY WE HOLD IN TERMS
OF THE PARTY OF OPPORTUNITY.
SORRY THAT IS DIVERSE. MOVING
FORWARD FOR US TO HAVE IS
POVERTY. I APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW,
QUIET HERE, SO WE REALLY WANT TO
TALK ABOUT SOLUTIONS LIKE WHAT
CAN BE DONE THAT FIRST WITH YOU,
MR CHAIRMAN. THAT PART SOLVE THE
POVERTY AS A RESULT OF POLICY
CHOICES. WHICH MEANS PARTLY CAN
BE RECTIFIED BY PAUSING TRACES
THAT THERE'S SOME GOOD WORK.
I'VE SEEN THE WORK WITH THE
FIRST STEP TOWARDS BABY BOX SEEN
THE WORK IN TERMS OF THE
LEGISLATION, BUDGET AND RAISING
DEBT FOR FINES AND FEES AND
LIVING. YOU SEE THE WORK OF
ADVOCATES CONCORDE, ANYTHING
PERCEPTIVE OF CHILD SUPPORT. WE
SEE THE WORK AROUND PROVIDING
MEDICAL DOCUMENTED. IT'S A GREAT
PLACE TO START, BUT WE CAN MHM.
YOU YOU MENTIONED IN YOUR
REMARKS AS I PREPARE TO CLOSE
THIS NOTION OF, UM UPSETTING THE
SETUP AND WHAT WE MEAN BY THAT
IS THAT IT'S VERY CLEAR TO
EVERYONE FROM EVERY TESTIMONY
YOU'LL HEAR FROM THIS PANEL TO
THE NEXT PANEL. IS THAT POVERTY
, PEOPLE IN POVERTY ARE SET UP
TO FAIL. THAT PEOPLE ARE IN
POVERTY BECAUSE OF DIFFERENT
TRAPS. AND WHAT WE'RE HERE TO DO
TODAY IS TO UPSET THAT, AND WE
KNOW THAT BECAUSE OF BABY BORN
IN POVERTY IS MORE LIKELY TO GO
TO A TERRIBLE SCHOOL. IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD WITH GREAT PEOPLE,
BUT WITH TERRIBLE AMENITIES WITH
ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS AND HEALTH
HAZARDS, AND THEY'RE PROBABLY
BORN TO PARENTS WHO ARE WORKING
WHO ARE GREAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE
DIGNITY BUT HAVE TO WORK IN
TERRIBLE CONDITIONS AND MAKE
TERRIBLE WAGES AND THEN
OFTENTIMES, PARTICULARLY
UNDOCUMENTED HAVE TERRIBLE
ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE, WHICH
LEADS TO TERRIBLE OUTCOMES WE
SEE FROM HOMELESSNESS TO
PREMATURE DEATH TO IT'S AN ISSUE
WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE
SYSTEM. ETCETERA AND WHAT WE
HAVE THE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO
DO IN CALIFORNIA. AN OPPORTUNITY
THAT NO OTHER STATE IN THIS
COUNTRY HAS IS TO UPSET THAT
WITH COMMON SENSE, WELL
RESEARCHED POLICIES FROM BABY
BONDS TO GUARANTEE INCOME TO
HOUSING AS A RIGHT TO TWO MORE
FOR THE HOUSING TO TRULY MAKE
THIS STATE A GOLDEN ONE FOR ALL
AND 10 YEARS AGO, I WAS ON THE
FREEDOM RIDE WITH SOME OF THE
ORIGINAL FREEDOM WRITERS. AND
ONE GUY, BOB SINGLETON. HE
LOOKED AT MEAND HE SAID MICHAEL
, I WAS ARRESTED ON AUGUST 4TH
1961. WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT? AND
I SAID, WELL, YOU WERE ARRESTED
IF YOU WEREN'T ARRESTED. I WANT
TO HAVE THE RIGHTS I HAVE, AND
HE LOOKED AT ME AND SAID NO ON
THAT DAY, BARACK OBAMA WAS BORN
AND THEN HE SAID HE HAD NO IDEA
THAT THE CHOICE HE MADE TO DREAM
OF SOMETHING DIFFERENT. TO LOOK
AT THE STATUS QUO WHEN SAYING
MAYBE NORMAL TO YOU, BUT IT'S
ABNORMAL TO ME TO DO SOMETHING
ABOUT IT WOULD PAVE THE WAY SO A
CHILD BORN 50 YEARS FROM 50
YEARS. ON THAT DAY 50 YEARS
LATER, WE HAVE THE CHANCE TO BE
PRESIDENT AND MR CHAIRMAN.
THAT'S REALLY THE OPPORTUNITY
BEFORE THIS, THIS THIS SELECT
COMMITTEE TODAY. WE HAVE
HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE BEHIND US AND
MANY IN THE OVERFLOW ROOM WHO
HAVE SAID THAT TODAY THEY'RE
MAKING THE CHOICE TO SAY THEY
WENT TO END POVERTY, SO THAT 50
YEARS FROM NOW THEIR CHILDREN
AND THEIR GRANDCHILDREN GROW UP
IN A DIFFERENT STATE. WITH NOT
ENOUGH FOR THOSE WITHOUT POWER.
OR WITHOUT ELECT VOTING POWER IN
TERMS OF POLICIES AND LAWS OF
THE CAPITAL TO SAY THAT WE NEED
PARTNERS IN THE LEGISLATURE. WE
NEED PARTNERS AND THE GOVERNOR'S
MANAGES. WE NEED PARTNERS. IN
THE CITY CITY AND STATE ASSEMBLY
TO ALSO STAY WITH US THAT TODAY
WE CHOOSE TO END POVERTY, SO
THAT 50 YEARS FROM NOW AT CHILD
BORN IN POVERTY HAS THE CHANCE
TO BREAK CYCLES OF POVERTY SO
THAT THEIR CHILDREN AND THEIR
CHILDREN'S CHILDREN REALLY
LIVING IN CALIFORNIA. THAT'S
GOLDEN FROG. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU, MR TUBBS. THERE'S A DECORUM
IN THESE HEARING ROOMS THAT
YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO SNAP OR
CLAP WU. BUT TODAY THIS IS MY
HEARING ROOM. AND AS YOU'RE
HEARING ROOM MHM. SO YOU'RE FREE
TO DO ALL OF THAT? UM YEAH. OKAY. THANK YOU, MR TUBBS. THAT WAS
INCREDIBLY, UM PROFOUND,
INSIGHTFUL, NECESSARY.
INTERESTING. FIVE SINGLETON ALSO
WAS THE FIRST DIRECTOR OF THE
RALPH BUNCHE CENTER AT U. C L. A
AH, AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO
KNOW ME? THAT'S THE CENTER THAT
I HELPED RUN BEFORE I CAME HERE
AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF
INTERSECTIONS BETWEEN THIS GOOD
AND RIGHTEOUS WORK. UM, NEXT,
WE'RE GOING TO LISTEN TO CHRIS,
THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
CALIFORNIA BUDGET AND POLICY
CENTER. GREAT. THANK YOU. GOOD
AFTERNOON. THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE TESTIMONY
TODAY. I'M CHRIS HANEY, THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
CALIFORNIA BUDGET AND POLICY
CENTER, WHERE A RESEARCH AND
ANALYSIS NONPROFIT THAT ADVANCES
PUBLIC POLICY OUTCOMES. AND
PROMOTES WELL BEING FOR ALL
CALIFORNIANS. WE BELIEVE THAT
EVERY CALIFORNIAN DESIRES AND
DESERVES AN OPPORTUNITY TO
THRIVE TO COVER THE BASIC COSTS
OF LIVING FOR HOUSING, FOOD,
HEALTH AND CHILD CARE AND
TRANSPORTATION. AND ACCESS
ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FOR
THEMSELVES TO WORK THAT PAYS
LIVABLE WAGES AND EDUCATIONAL
PATHWAYS TO HIGHER WAGE WORK AND
WEALTH BUILDING. POVERTY. IS A
PRODUCT FAILURES OF SYSTEMS, NOT
OF INDIVIDUALS. AN ECONOMIC
SYSTEM THAT INCREASINGLY REWARDS
AND CONCENTRATES WEALTH AMONG
THE ALREADY WEALTHY AND ALREADY
ADVANTAGED AND POLICY RESPONSES
THAT ARE ROOTED IN RACIST AND
MISOGYNIST TROPES THAT ARE
SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE CASH
ASSISTANCE BUT EXCLUDE THOSE WHO
MOST NEED IT. BECAUSE OF
BARRIERS TO WORK, CAREGIVING
RESPONSIBILITIES UNNECESSARY AND
OUTDATED ASSET TESTS AND THEIR
IMMIGRATION STATUS. THE GOOD
NEWS IS AS MICHAEL WAS JUST
SAYING. THAT WHAT THE POLICY
THAT WE KNOW WHAT THE PALETTE
POLICY PATHWAYS ARE TO
ELIMINATING POVERTY AND DO
INCLUDING EVERY CALIFORNIA AND
OUR STATE'S PROSPERITY. AS WE
SIT HERE TODAY, THE FINAL
DETAILS OF THE STATE BUDGET WITH
UNPRECEDENTED REVENUES ARE BEING
WORKED OUT BY LEGISLATIVE
LEADERS AND THE GOVERNOR. THE
UNEXPECTED GROWTH IN STATE
REVENUES IS HAPPENING BECAUSE
WEALTHY INDIVIDUALS AND
CORPORATIONS ARE SEEING JUMPS
AND INCOMING INVESTMENTS DURING
THE PANDEMIC. BUT THE JOB LOSSES
AND HEALTH IMPACTS OR JUST
PROPORTIONATELY AFFECTING
CALIFORNIANS WITH LOW INCOMES
AND BLACK AND LATIN X
CALIFORNIANS MOST SEVERELY
CALIFORNIA'S REVENUE GROWTH
PROVIDES A ONCE IN A LIFETIME
OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE TARGET
TARGETED RELIEF TO THE
CALIFORNIANS MOST HARMED BY
RISING COSTS OF LIVING AND THE
PANDEMIC AND TO COMBAT POVERTY
AND INCREASE ECONOMIC INCLUSION.
THROUGH TARGETED AND MEANINGFUL
ONE TIME CASH ASSISTANCE LIKE
THE KIND PROVIDED WITH THE
GOLDEN STATE STIMULUS PAYMENTS
THIS PAST YEAR AND THROUGH
ONGOING INVESTMENTS IN
CALIFORNIANS, INCLUDING
EXPANDING THE STATE'S REFUNDABLE
TAX CREDITS AND HUMAN SERVICES
SUPPORTS. INCREASING ACCESS TO
HEALTHCARE AND FOOD ASSISTANCE
FOR UNDOCUMENTED CALIFORNIANS
EXPANDING AND EXTENDING
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE BENEFITS
, ENSURING THAT WORKERS WITH LOW
INCOMES ARE ABLE TO PICK TAKE
PAID TIME OFF AT A FAIR WAGE TO
CARE FOR THEMSELVES AND FAMILY
MEMBERS, REMOVING BARRIERS IN
STATE SYSTEMS THAT ARE
DISCRIMINATORY AND UNNECESSARY
AND PROVIDING ACCESS TO WEALTH
BUILDING THROUGH THINGS LIKE
CHILD SAVINGS ACCOUNTS AND BABY
BONDS. STATE LEADERS CAN DO ALL
OF THIS AND STILL RESPONSIBLY
MANAGED THE STATE'S FINANCES,
BUILDING UP RESERVES TO PREPARE
FOR LESS FAVORABLE ECONOMIC
TIMES AND MANAGING THE STATE'S
OUTDATED SPENDING LIMIT OVER THE
NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS TO POSITION
THE STATE TO REFORM THAT LIMIT
TO ENSURE THESE KINDS OF
INVESTMENTS ARE SUSTAINABLE IN
THE LONG TERM. WHEN IT COMES TO
REDUCING POVERTY. THE EVIDENCE
IS CLEAR WHAT PEOPLE WITH LOW
INCOMES NEED MOST IS CASH, AND
WHEN THEY HAVE IT, THEY'RE
BETTER ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF
THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES.
DECADES OF RESEARCH HAS SHOWN
THAT INVESTMENTS IN CASH
ASSISTANCE AND OTHER SUPPORTS
INCREASED ECONOMIC SECURITY,
REDUCE POVERTY AND IMPROVE CHILD
AND FAMILY WELL BEING. AND MORE
RECENTLY, THE ECONOMIC RELIEF
PROVIDED BY THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT AND BY THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA KEPT PEOPLE FROM
FALLING INTO POVERTY OR
EXPERIENCING GREATER ECONOMIC
INSTABILITY. DUE TO THE
PANDEMIC. THE EXPANSION OF THE
FEDERAL CHILD TAX CREDIT NOW
EXPIRED, BENEFITED NEARLY EIGHT
MILLION CALIFORNIA CHILDREN.
HOUSEHOLDS USED THE CASH
PRIMARILY FOR FOOLED FOOD AND
CHILDCARE EXPENSES. FOOD
INSUFFICIENCY DECREASED QUICKLY.
FINANCIAL HARDSHIP DECLINED,
WITH FEWER HOUSEHOLDS REPORTING
THEY HAD DIFFICULTY PAYING
EXPENSES. IN ADDITION, FEDERAL
STIMULUS AND RELIEF PAYMENTS
ALSO KEPT 1.7 MILLION
CALIFORNIANS OUT OF POVERTY. IN
THE TWO ROUNDS OF GOLDEN STATE
STIMULUS PAYMENTS ENACTED BY
THIS LEGISLATURE AND THE
GOVERNOR IN 2021, PROVIDED $8.8
BILLION THAT REACHED 11.5
MILLION. CALIFORNIA HOUSEHOLDS.
THESE ONE TIME IN TEMPORARY
EXPANSIONS HELPED THE STATE
AVOID LARGER AND HARMFUL
ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF THE
PANDEMIC. BUT THESE VITAL PUBLIC
SUPPORTS ARE NOW PAST OR HAVE
BEEN ALLOWED TO SUNSET AND AS A
RESULT, THE NUMBER OF
CALIFORNIANS AND POVERTY WILL
LIKELY BE HIGHER THIS YEAR THAN
DURING THE WORST MONTHS OF THE
PANDEMIC. SO THE PATHWAYS FOR
STATE LEADERS TO REDUCE AN END
POVERTY. TO INCREASE ECONOMIC
INCLUSION AND TO CLOSE WEALTH
AND INCOME GAPS ARE CLEAR. IT'S
A MATTER OF POLITICAL WILL. I
WANT TO CLOSE BY STRETCHING THAT
OUR FACE STATE FACES A
FUNDAMENTAL PARADOX. COUNTY
CALIFORNIA'S HEALTHY REVENUE IS
A SYMPTOM OF GROWING INCOME AND
WEALTH INEQUALITY THAT IS
EXACERBATED BY INFLATION AND THE
PANDEMIC. YET FAR TOO MANY
CALIFORNIANS STRUGGLE WITH
RISING COSTS OF LIVING THAN MAKE
ECONOMIC INSECURITY DAY TO DAY
REALITIES. THE STATE BUDGET AND
THE DECISIONS THAT STATE LEADERS
HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE IN
THE MONTHS AND THE YEARS AHEAD
OR OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVIDE
SIGNIFICANT ONE TIME AND ONGOING
RELIEF FOR CALIFORNIANS WHO ARE
MOST STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS
MEET. PRIORITIZING THE URGENT
NEEDS OF CALIFORNIANS LIVING IN
POVERTY OR ECONOMICALLY EXCLUDED
FROM OUR STATE'S PROSPERITY IS
IN THE WORDS OF MICHAEL'S 2.5
YEAR OLD MORALLY THE RIGHT THING
TO DO. IT'S ALSO ECONOMICALLY
AND FISCALLY THE RIGHT THING TO
DO. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND
CONSIDERATION. CHRIS. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR INCREDIBLY POWERFUL
TESTIMONY. I'VE GOT LOTS OF
QUESTIONS AGAIN. I'M GOING TO
ASK AFTER THE WHOLE PANEL
PRESENTS, AND I KNOW WE HAVE A
COUPLE OF OTHER MEMBERS WHO ARE
GETTING READY TO COME TO THE
COMMITTEE HEARING ROOM. IT'S A
BUSY TIME UP HERE IN SACRAMENTO.
BUT THIS IS A HIGH PRIORITY. I
THINK FOR ALL OF US ON THE
SELECT COMMITTEE, AND IT SHOULD
BE A HIGH PRIORITY FOR EVERYBODY
ACROSS THE STATE. AND THE NEXT
PERSON WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM
IS A DEAR FRIEND OF MINE. WE'VE
BEEN IN MANY COALITION AND
COMMUNITY SPACES FIGHTING FOR
THE THINGS THAT MATTER MOST IN
OUR COMMUNITY, AND
FORWARD TO HEARING YOUR
TESTIMONY THIS MORNING, MR MICA
GASKETS. THANK YOU. GOOD
AFTERNOON CHAIR, BRIAN. I WANT
TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION FOR
YOU AND THE MEMBERS OF THIS
COMMITTEE WHEN THEY GET HERE.
FOR ADDRESSING ONE OF THE
GREATEST CHALLENGES OF OUR STATE
AND FOR HOLDING SPACE FOR THE
VOICES OF OUR COMMUNITY. TODAY
WE KNOW TRANSFORMATIVE ANTI
POVERTY WORK MUST BE ROOTED IN
THE EXPERIENCES AS THOSE CLOSEST
TO THE ISSUE. THEREFORE I WANT
TO UPLIFT THE ADVOCATES, THE
ORGANIZERS AND THE COMMUNITY
MEMBERS HERE TODAY AND THOSE WHO
COULDN'T MAKEIT TODAY THEY ARE
WORKING TIRELESSLY TO MOVE THE
NEEDLE ON POVERTY. WHETHER IT'S
ADVOCATING FOR POLICY CHANGES,
PROVIDING DIRECT SERVICES OR
BEING THE NEIGHBOR THAT OTHERS
CAN TURN TO AND TO SUPPORT. AT
GRACE. WE DARE TO IMAGINE A
LIBERATED FUTURE FREE FROM
SYSTEMIC RACISM AND POVERTY IN
WHICH ALL CHILDREN EXPERIENCE A
CHILDHOOD OF ABUNDANCE, DIGNITY,
LOVE AND OPPORTUNITIES TO
THRIVE. THE END CHILD POVERTY.
CALIFORNIA COALITION IS 100 AND
80 ORGANIZATIONS WORKING TO
ACHIEVE THAT FUTURE AND 2018
BECAUSE CLOSE TO TWO MILLION
CALIFORNIANS CHILDREN WERE
LIVING IN POVERTY, GRACE AND IN
CHILD POVERTY. CALIFORNIA
SPONSORED THE CREATION OF THE
LIFTING CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
OUT OF POVERTY TASK FORCE. SINCE
THE RELEASE OF THEIR REPORT IN
2019, THE LEGISLATURE HAS
ADOPTED 38 OF THE 43
RECOMMENDATIONS TO REDUCE CHILD
AND FAMILY POVERTY. THE RESULTS
ARE CLEAR. COMBINED INVESTMENT
OF UP TO $14 MILLION AN ONGOING
STATE FUNDS AND PROGRAMMING HAS
LIFTED OVER 300,000 CHILDREN OUT
OF POVERTY AND JUST 3.5 YEARS.
SO DEMONSTRATING THAT THIS IS
NOT AN INTRACTABLE PROBLEM. AS
WE'VE HEARD TODAY, ALREADY, IT'S
WITHOUT SOLUTIONS. IT'S ACTUALLY
A CHOICES THAT WE'RE MAKING AS A
STATE. CALIFORNIA INDEED HAS
MADE ROBUST INVESTMENTS IN
SOCIAL SAFETY NET PROGRAMS
INVESTING OVER $66 BILLION
ANNUALLY ON PROGRAMS SUCH AS CAL
WORKS MEDICAL CAL FRESH AND HAVE
THEY HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL IMPACT?
THIS YEAR WITH ANOTHER RECORD
BREAKING BUDGET SURPLUS.
CALIFORNIA IS POISED TO INVEST
ANOTHER $11 BILLION IN THE CPC A
COALITION PRIORITIES, BUT THIS
STILL FALLS SHORT WHEN,
ACCORDING TO THE UNITED WAYS OF
CALIFORNIA, AND THEY'RE RISING
COSTS REPORT MORE THAN 3.5
MILLION FAMILIES. THAT'S ONE IN
THREE FAMILIES STILL CAN'T MEET
THEIR BASIC NEEDS. EVEN WITH
BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH
INCOME. THESE FAMILIES ARE BEING
FURTHER BURDENED BY THE SOARING
HOUSING, FOOD AND ENERGY COSTS.
WE KNOW WHY. SO WHAT ARE WE
DOING ABOUT IT? WANTED TO PROVEN
SOLUTIONS THAT YOU HEARD CHRIS
TALK ABOUT HIS DIRECT CASH,
GIVING FAMILIES THAT AGENCY AND
DIGNITY, JUST SIDE HOW TO BEST
MEET THEIR NEEDS. THIS IS WHY WE
ARE CONTINUING TO FIGHT FOR THE
EXPANSION OF THE STATE, SCALIA
TC AND THE YOUNG CHILD TAX
CREDIT, WHICH IS LARGELY BENEFIT
PEOPLE OF COLOR, WHO ARE
EXPERIENCING POVERTY AT HIGHER
RATES. TOGETHER THE FEDERAL AND
STATE CREDIT, AS YOU TALKED
ABOUT HAS LIFTED MILLIONS OUT OF
POVERTY. AND WITH THIS
EXPIRATION, PEOPLE ARE FALLING
DEEPER OR BACK INTO POVERTY.
WE'VE SEEN THE RESULTS OF CASH
LIFTING, SO IT'S TIME TO PUT IT
INTO PEOPLE'S HANDS. INVESTING
IN ANTI POVERTY SOLUTIONS IS
ONLY PART OF THE STORY. IT'S
CRUCIAL THAT OUR INVESTMENTS ARE
REACHING CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.
WE MUST SUPPORT COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS. THEY ARE OUR
CIVIC INFRASTRUCTURE. THEY KNOW
THEIR COMMUNITIES BEST, AND THEY
BUILD THE COMMUNITY WIDE
PIPELINES THAT INTEGRATED
SERVICES THAT FAMILIES CAN
READILY ASSESSED. HOWEVER WHILE
INCOME SUPPORT IS CRITICAL TO
MEET ONE'S DAILY NEEDS THE
ABILITY AS YOU HEARD, MICHAEL
SAY TO BUILD WEALTH IS PIVOTAL
FOR TRANSFORMATIONAL AND
INTERGENERATIONAL CHANGE. WE
MUST ALSO ADDRESS THE RACIST
CLASSES AND EXCLUSIONARY POLICY
CHOICES. KEEPING WEALTH BUILDING
ASSETS OUT OF THE REACH OF BIPOD
CALIFORNIANS OF COLOR. IN
CALIFORNIA WEALTH IS UNEVENLY
DISTRIBUTED WITH 20% OF ALL
NETWORK CONCENTRATED IN THE 30TH
OF THE WEALTHIEST ZIP CODES.
WEALTH OF FOUR STABILITY AND
RESILIENCE. THE LACK OF WEALTH,
HOWEVER, BUT GETS A LACK OF
OPPORTUNITIES. ECONOMISTS DEREK
HAMBLETON AND DR WILLIAM DIRTY
JUNIOR HAVE DEMONSTRATED THAT
WEALTH GAPS CAN BE NARROW
THROUGH THE INVESTMENT OF PUBLIC
SECTOR DOLLARS INTO CHILD TRUST
ACCOUNTS. THESE DEPOSITS GROW
AND MATURE ALONGSIDE THEIR
OWNERS, PROVIDING A LEVEL OF
FINANCIAL PROTECTION OF WEALTH
THAT ALLOWS THESE YOUNG ADULTS
TO PLOT THEIR FUTURES WITH MORE
DREAMS AND FEWER WORRIES. THIS
YEAR WITH 100 MILLION BUDGETED
FOR HOPE ACCOUNTS. CALIFORNIA IS
ON THE BRINK OF ESTABLISHING
TRUST ACCOUNTS FOR CHILDREN IN
FOSTER CARE AND THOSE WHO HAVE
LOST A PARENT TO COVID. BUT WE
MUST ENSURE THAT EVERY CHILD HAS
A SUCCESS ACCESS TO A SEED FUND
OF CAPITAL THEY CAN USE TO
INVEST IN THEIR FUTURE. THESE
BABY BONDS ARE ONE OF THE BEST
POLICY CHOOSE AT OUR DISPOSAL TO
COMBAT THEN DURING EFFECTS OF
OUR HISTORY AND CHART A BETTER
PATH FORWARD. FINALLY
RESPONSIBILITY OF CHANGE NEEDS
TO BE DISTRIBUTED EQUITABLY. THE
FIGHTER IN POVERTY CANNOT SOLELY
REST OR BE PRIMARILY SOLD HER BY
THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IMPACTED. AS
OUR COMMUNITIES CONTINUE TO
ADVOCATE. WE NEED OUR STATE
LEADERS WHO HOLD THE POWER TO
TAKE THEIR SHARE OF THE
RESPONSIBILITY AND CARRY OUT
BOLD ANTI POVERTY SOLUTIONS FOR
ALL OF CALIFORNIANS. OUR MANDATE
IN THIS MOMENT IS TO USE EVERY
TOOL AND EVERY RESOURCE
AVAILABLE TO ERADICATE POVERTY.
THANK YOU, CHAIR BRIAN AND THE
MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE YEAH.
OKAY. YEAH. OH THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. YOU'RE GONNA YOU'RE GONNA
GET ME IN TROUBLE. OH, ASSIGN
IT. THANK YOU, MISS GASKINS. UM
POWERFUL AND NECESSARY AND
IMPORTANT. AND I APPRECIATE ALL
THE DIFFERENT WAYS. YOU
INTERSECTED THAT TESTIMONY. NEXT
WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM MIKE
HERALD FROM THE WESTERN CENTER
ON LAW AND POVERTY. THANK YOU,
MR CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE
AUDIENCE. I JUST REALLY WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR COMING AND
BEING PART OF THIS HEARING TODAY
. UM IT'S GONNA BE YOUR WORK ON
THE GROUND THAT'S GOING TO MAKE
ANYTHING THAT WE ALL TALK ABOUT
UP HERE HAPPENED. AND SO I JUST
WANT TO START OUT BY
ACKNOWLEDGING ALL OF YOU HERE
TODAY AND ENCOURAGING YOU TO
KEEP ON WORKING ON THIS ISSUE.
GOING FORWARD. WE CAN MAKE
THINGS HAPPEN. UM SO, UM, TODAY,
I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT
MORE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT SOME OF
THE POVERTY PROGRAMS THAT WE
HAVE IN CALIFORNIA AND THINGS
THAT CAN BE DONE TO IMPROVE
THEM. UM MY DAY JOB AT THE
WESTERN CENTER ALONG POVERTY.
I'M THE POLICY DIRECTOR AT THE
CENTER AND I DO LOBBYING HERE IN
THE STATE CAPITAL. MY DAY JOB
HERE IS TO WORK ON THE COW WORKS
PROGRAM. COWARDS PROGRAM SERVES
ABOUT 330,000 OF THE POOREST
FAMILIES IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. UM AND THAT PROGRAM
, UM, WAS CREATED IN 1996 BY
BILL CLINTON AND NEWT GINGRICH
BACK IN WASHINGTON, D C. IT WAS
STRICTLY A POLITICALLY MOTIVATED
DEAL. THAT REALLY TRIED TO, UM
UH, YOU KNOW, CAPTURE, UH,
ISSUES THAT WERE GOING ON IN THE
COUNTRY THAT TIME, BUT REALLY,
WHAT THIS WAS ABOUT WAS
ATTACKING POOR WOMEN OF COLOR
SPECIFICALLY BLACK AND BROWN
WOMEN AND THE FUNDAMENTAL PIECE
OF THIS POLICY IS THAT THE
BELIEF THAT WITHOUT A BIG STICK
FROM GOVERNMENT AND FORCING
PEOPLE TO GO TO WORK THAT PEOPLE
DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH SENSE TO KNOW
WHAT WAS GOOD FOR THEM, AND SO
GOVERNMENT WAS GOING TO COMPEL
THEM TO DO THOSE THINGS. NOW AS
WE LOOK BACK AT THIS HISTORY, WE
CAN NOW SEE THAT THIS IS AN
ARBITRARY, CONTROLLING
COMPLIANCE DRIVEN AND A
SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM OF POOR
FAMILIES. THAT'S WHAT TANA
BECAME. THAT'S WHAT
UNFORTUNATELY, MUCH OF OUR COW
WORKS PROGRAM BECAME THIS
LEGISLATURE AND THE COUNTIES AND
THE ADVOCATES RECOGNIZED THE
FLAWS IN THIS PROGRAM. FOR THE
LAST DECADE. WE'VE MOVED A LOT
OF POLICY HERE. THAT'S KIND OF
MOVING US AWAY FROM THAT KIND OF
COMPLIANCE ORIENTED APPROACH. UM
BUT THERE'S STILL REALLY BIG
PROBLEMS WITH THE SYSTEM THAT WE
HAVE, UM, THE WAY IT WORKS IS IF
YOU DON'T MEET THE WORK
REQUIREMENTS THAT THE
GOVERNMENT'S IMPOSING ON YOU. WE
PUNISH YOU AND THE WAY THAT WE
PUNISH YOU IS WE CUT THE AMOUNT
OF MONEY THAT YOU HAVE TO LIVE
ON. SO WHEN YOU HEAR MAYOR TUBS
. CHRIS HANEY TALK ABOUT MONEY
MATTERS. MONEY IS THE DIFFERENCE
. WE HAVE A STATE POLICY THAT
DOES THE OPPOSITE. WE SANCTION
TENS OF THOUSANDS OF COWARDS,
FAMILIES ALL THE TIME. THEY'RE
ALREADY LIVING IN DEEP POVERTY,
AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THEM
POOR. THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM THAT
WE HAVE TO REALLY GET OUR HEADS
AROUND. THIS CANNOT BE THE WAY
THAT WE RUN PROGRAMS ON OUR
STATE WHERE THE POOREST FOLKS IN
THE STATE ARE ARE BEING PUNISHED
BECAUSE HE CAN'T MEET A WORK
REQUIREMENT THAT FRANKLY, MANY
OF US IN THIS ROOM COULDN'T MEET
OURSELVES. BUT HERE'S THE REALLY
BAD PART ABOUT IT. THIS IS A
SYSTEM THAT BENEFITS THE STATE
BECAUSE EVERY TIME WE SANCTION A
POOR FAMILY, THAT'S LESS MONEY.
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA HAS TO
SPEND ON GRANT PROGRAMS FOR LOW
INCOME FOLKS. SO IN A WAY, WE
HAVE SORT OF A PERVERSE
INCENTIVE BUILT INTO OUR OWN
SYSTEM WHERE THE STATE MAKES
MONEY WHEN POOR FOLKS DO WORSE,
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE
FUNDAMENTALLY HAVE TO LOOK TO
CHANGE. ONE OF THE BIGGEST
PROBLEMS WITH THE COW WORKS
PROGRAM IS THAT THERE IS THIS
THING CALLED A FEDERAL PENALTY.
SO IF CALIFORNIA OTHER STATES
DON'T MEET THE 50% WORK
REQUIREMENT IN THE STATE THEN A
STATE COULD FACE A PENALTY OF UP
TO 5% OF THE MONEY THEY GET FROM
WASHINGTON, D. C IN CALIFORNIA'S
CASE, THAT WOULD BE $185 MILLION
PENALTY. SO THIS PENALTY THIS
FEAR THIS CONCERN. THIS WORRY
HAS DRIVEN THE PROGRAM EVER
SINCE ITS INCEPTION TO KEEP OUR
NO. KEEP US ON THE STRAIGHT AND
NARROW OF WORK. WORK WORK WORK
FIRST. PUSHING PEOPLE TO GO INTO
WORK, EVEN THOUGH WE KNOW IT
WON'T PROBABLY HAPPEN. UM THIS
MEANS THAT BY STAYING ON THIS
APPROACH. MORE COUNTIES. MORE
PEOPLE GET SANCTIONS ALL THE
TIME. SO THE BAD THING THAT
WE'VE DONE, THOUGH, IS THAT
WE'VE MADE COUNTIES HALF
RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT $185
MILLION PENALTY. AND THAT MEANS
THE COUNTIES HAVE A LOT OF
PRESSURE ON THEM. BUT THE BOARD
OF SUPERVISOR LEVEL TO CONTINUE
TO FORCE THE WORK FOR US
APPROACH CONTINUE TO SANCTION
FAMILIES. WE NEED TO JUNK THE
WORK PARTICIPATION RATE FOCUS.
WE NEED TO GET AWAY FROM THIS
PENALTY APPARATUS THAT WE HAVE
ESTABLISHED. LET'S REMOVE THE
PENALTY THAT IS BEING PUSHED
DOWN ON COUNTIES HAVE THE STATE
TAKEOVER THE BURDEN OF HANDLING
THAT THERE'S REALLY VERY, VERY
LITTLE RISK THAT THERE'S
ACTUALLY GOING TO BE A PENALTY.
NO STATE HAS EVER BEEN PENALIZED
. NOT ONCE IN 25 YEARS, SO WE
CAN GET RID OF THIS. THIS IS
WITHIN OUR POWER TO TAKE CARE OF
IT TO STOP THIS PRESSURE AND THE
WHOLE WAY THAT THIS MACHINERY
HAS OPERATED TO PUNISH POOR
FAMILIES FOR NEARLY A QUARTER
CENTURY. AND THEN I'M GONNA
SWITCH SUBJECTS NOW AND TALK
ABOUT CHILD SUPPORT. UM, NOW WE
HAVE THIS GREAT CHILD SUPPORT
SYSTEM. VERY ELABORATE. YOU
KNOW, WE HAVE ALL YOU KNOW THESE
RULES AND REQUIREMENTS AND WE'RE
MAKING EVERYBODY YOU KNOW, HAVE
TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CHILD
SUPPORT SYSTEM. BUT DID YOU KNOW
THAT MOST CHILD SUPPORT THAT IS
COLLECTED ON BEHALF OF POOR
FAMILIES. NEVER GETS TO THEM. IT
NEVER GOES TO THEM. THAT'S
RIGHT. WE COLLECT CHILD SUPPORT.
MOST OF THE MONEY GOES TO THE
STATE. AND THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT. TO REIMBURSE THEM
FOR THE COST OF WELFARE
PROGRAMS. CORRECT. SO WE ARE
PUTTING THE NEEDS OF THE POOREST
CHILDREN IN OUR STATE ABOUT THE
WE'RE PUTTING THE STATE'S FISCAL
AND FINANCIAL NEEDS ABOVE THE
POOR, THE NEEDS OF THE POOREST
CHILDREN OF OUR STATE. WE DON'T
HAVE TO DO THIS. IN FACT,
GOVERNOR NEWSOM IN THIS BUDGET
TO HIS CREDIT, HAS PROPOSED
ENDING THAT POLICY FOR FAMILIES
WHO ARE FORMALLY ON COW WORKS.
BUT HE HASN'T PROPOSED THAT FOR
THE CURRENT COW WORKS CASES,
WHICH WE WOULD ARGUE ARE THE
NEEDIEST ONES AND THE ONES THAT
WE SHOULD TAKE CARE OF FIRST. SO
WE CERTAINLY URGING THE
LEGISLATURE IN THIS YEAR'S
BUDGET. TO FIX THAT POLICY AND
THE LEGISLATIVE TO HOUSE
PROPOSAL DOES EXACTLY THAT. WE
NEED TO START PRIORITIZING THE
NEEDS OF OUR FAMILIES WERE
LEAVING. TENS OF THOUSANDS OF
NON CUSTODIAL PARENTS IN
EXCESSIVE DEBT RIGHT NOW, CHILD
SUPPORT DEBT IS AROUND $17
BILLION, AND THAT'S BECAUSE
WE'RE ASKING PEOPLE TO PAY
THINGS THEY DON'T HAVE THE MONEY
TO DO. SO PEOPLE GET IN DEBT.
THEY CAN'T MAKE THEIR PAYMENTS.
THEY KNOW THE MONEY IS NOT GOING
TO THEIR CHILDREN IN THE FIRST
PLACE. AND GUESS WHAT? WE END UP
HAVING MOST OF THE FOLKS IN THE
CHILD SUPPORT SYSTEM, UM, AREN'T
PAYING WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, 80% OF
THE OF THE THOSE WHO ARE NOT
PAYING ARE EXTREMELY POOR. IT'S
NO ACCIDENT. WHAT'S HAPPENING
HERE? SO THIS IS A SYSTEM THAT
SIMPLY HAS TO GET FIXED. WE NEED
TO WAIVE ALL THIS DEBT. WE NEED
TO MAKE SURE THE MONEY GETS TO
THE KIDS WHERE IT SHOULD HAVE
BEEN GOING WHERE THE PUBLIC
THINKS IT'S GOING. AND THEN
LAST, THEY'LL JUST CLOSE ON THIS
MR CHAIR AND THAT IS WE HAVE
DEMONSTRATED TIME AND AGAIN IN
THE LAST DECADE THAT WE CAN
DEVELOP THE POLITICAL WILL TO
ADDRESS POVERTY. WE CREATED AN
EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT SYSTEM,
ONE OF THE MOST ROBUST ONES IN
THE COUNTRY. WE CREATED A YOUNG
CHILD TAX CREDIT PROGRAM UNDER
GOVERNOR NEWSOM AND ACTUALLY
PASSED A TAX INCREASE THE
FUNDING. UM WE'VE WE'VE ALMOST
FULLY AUTHORIZED MEDICAL FOR
ALMOST EVERYONE. WE'RE GETTING
CLOSE TO GETTING THOSE, UH, FOR
IMMIGRANT FAMILIES. ALSO TIME
AND AGAIN. WE HAVE SHOWN THAT
WHEN WE WANT TO WE CAN MAKE A
BIG DIFFERENCE. IT'S REALLY UP
TO US TO CONTINUE THAT MOMENTUM,
AND THAT'S WHY ALL OF YOU ARE IN
THE AUDIENCE ARE SO IMPORTANT
AGAIN BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE
YOUR JOB GOING FORWARD TO
CONTINUE TO PUSH FOR ENDING
POVERTY IN CALIFORNIA. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR
HAROLD. INCREDIBLY POWERFUL. AND
IMPORTANT. IT'S SOMETHING THAT
OUR OFFICE HAS BEEN TALKING WITH
THE WESTERN CENTER FOR A LOT OF
A LOT OF TIME ON. IN FACT, WE
HAVE A BILL THIS YEAR RELATED TO
CHILD SUPPORT PAYMENTS. WE
DIDN'T SAY CHILD SUPPORT BECAUSE
WE DIDN'T WANT TO SCARE FOLKS
WHO DIDN'T UNDERSTAND JUST HOW
BURDENSOME THIS SYSTEM CAN BE.
IT'S A B 16 86 WHAT 16 86 WOULD
DO. RIGHT NOW, FOR PARENTS WHO
LOSE THEIR CHILDREN TO THE CHILD
WELFARE SYSTEM. THEY'RE HIT WITH
CHILD SUPPORT PAYMENTS TO PAY
THE COUNTY. FOR THE CUSTODY OF
THEIR CHILDREN FOR EVERY DOLLAR.
THE COUNTY TRIES TO COLLECT IN
THAT FINE. THEY ONLY GET 27
CENTS BACK. IT'S BAD GOVERNMENT.
IT HURTS FAMILIES. IT PROMOTES
OR DOES NOT PROMOTE
REUNIFICATION. I SHOULD SAY SO
WE'VE GOT TO BUILD A CREATE A
REBUTTABLE PRESUMPTION THAT
CHARGING FAMILIES FOR THE TIME
THEIR CHILDREN ARE IN CHILD
SUPPORT IS A BARRIER TO
REUNIFICATION. IT'S IN THE
SENATE. WE PRESENTED IT IN THE
JUDICIARY COMMITTEE THIS MORNING
. IT'S OUT OF THE JUDICIARY
COMMITTEE AND SO TRACK THAT
ALONG THE WAY, BUT THANK YOU FOR
YOUR ADVOCACY. NEXT WE'VE GOT
PASTOR JOY JOHNSON. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH, UM I AM REPRESENTING
TODAY. PICO CALIFORNIA PICO
STANDS FOR PEOPLE INFLUENCING
CHANGE THROUGH ORGANIZING. WE
ARE A FAITH BASED ORGANIZATION
COMPRISED OF 11 CHAPTERS
THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. AND REPRESENTING
ALMOST 650. FAITH BASED
CONGREGATIONS AND GROUPS OF ALL
FAITHS OF ALL ETHNICITY. I
APPRECIATE YOU HAVING ME HERE
TODAY. I AM VERY PROUD TO BE
ABLE TO SPEAK ON THIS, UH, VERY
VITAL SUBJECT. BESIDES BEING A
PASTOR AND PREACHER HERE IN THE
CITY OF SACRAMENTO. I HELD THAT
I AM PROUD TO BE THE ELDEST OF
12 CHILDREN RAISED BY A SINGLE
MOTHER. I WAS BORN WHEN MY
MOTHER WAS 15 YEARS OLD. AND ALL
OF MY LIFE. I'VE BEEN IMPRESSED
BY HER SELF SACRIFICING FOR THE
BETTERMENT OF US CHILDREN. ALL
SHE EVER WANTED FOR US WAS
BETTER LIVES. MUCH OF MY
MOTHER'S SUPPORT CAME FROM HER
PARENTS, WHICH MEANT THAT WE
WERE IN THIS GENERATIONAL CYCLE.
OF SHARED. INCOME OR SHARED
POVERTY. MY GRANDPARENTS
INSTILLED IN ME A DEEP
SPIRITUALITY AND A STRONG SENSE
OF GOD'S LOVE FOR ME AND MY LOVE
FOR GOD. THESE ARE THE ONES WHO
GIVE MY LIFE. TRUE DEFINITION.
THAT'S HOW MENTIONED THEM HERE
TODAY. AS A THEOLOGIAN. THE
BIBLE IS MY CONTEXT FOR
UNDERSTANDING, COMPLEX
STRUCTURAL, INSTITUTIONAL
MATTERS, NOT JUST SPIRITUAL BUT
PRACTICAL UNDERSTANDING AS WELL.
I HOPE TO SHOW BILLY'S SPECIAL
SPECIAL COMMITTEE THAT YOU TOO,
CAN GROUND YOUR ACTIONS IN A
FAITH LENS. UM I WILL BASE THIS
ON THE DISCIPLINE OF GOD AND
GOD'S WORD, THOUGH THERE MAY BE
MANY FAITHS REPRESENTED IN HERE
TODAY. THANKS TO MY GRANDMOTHER
, LOTTIE MINE IS EMBODIED IN THE
CHRISTIAN FAITH AND I AM BOTH
EMBODYING AND LIVING OUT THIS
FAITH. SO, FROM THIS
PERSPECTIVE, I OFFERED THESE
THOUGHTS. ECONOMIC EQUITY. WAS
SO VITAL TO THE CREATOR THAT HE
PUT IN DIRECTIVES ON HOW WE ARE
TO LIVE. WHENEVER OUR FAITH
PRINCIPLES AND STANDARDS ARE, WE
MUST ALL AGREE THAT WE DID NOT
CREATE OURSELVES. BUT SOMEONE
INDEED DID CREATE US. AND SO OUR
CREATOR SET THOSE DIRECTIVES. HE
DESIGNED THOSE DIRECTIVES TO
PREVENT GENERATIONAL POVERTY.
OUR GOD SAID HIS COMMANDS IN
ORDER THAT HIS CREATION WOULD
NOT PERPETUATE ONGOING
GENERATIONAL POVERTY. THE
DIRECTIVE IS THAT DEBTS WOULD BE
FORGIVEN AND THERE WOULD BE NEW
STARTS. THAT WOULD BE A JUBILEE
A NEW START FOR ALL THAT'S QUITE
CONTRARY TO HOW WE LIVE NOW.
GENERATIONS ARE ABLE TO
GENERATIONS THEN WE'RE ABLE TO
START AGAIN AND PULL UP SO THAT
THERE IS NO CONTINUED UNDERCLASS
AND PERPETUATION OF POVERTY. IN
FACT, THE DOMINANT THEME THROUGH
FOUND THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE IS
THAT OUR CREATOR HAS A
PREFERENCE FOR THE POOR IN A
SOCIETY. CAREFUL READING SHOWS
HOW Y'ALL WAY TAKES CONCRETE
ACTIONS ON BEHALF OF THE POOR.
STARTING IN DEUTERONOMY. THE
MOSAIC LAW INSTRUCTED GOD'S
PEOPLE TO SET UP THE YEAR OF
RELEASE. YEAR RELEASES THAT
EVERY SEVEN YEARS THERE WOULD BE
A RELIEF REQUIREMENT REQUIRED
RELEASE OF ALL DEBTS THEY WOULD
BE CANCELED AND EVEN THE VERY
POOR WERE GIVEN A NEW START. AH
THIS RELEASE OUR DEBT
CANCELATION DISRUPTED ANY
POTENTIAL FOR GENERATIONAL
POVERTY TO DESTROY FAMILIES AND
MEMBERS OF COMMUNITIES. SO FOR
THE PRESENT AND FUTURE, GOOD OF
THE COMMUNITY, THERE WAS A BUILT
IN RESTART. THIS AND OTHER
BIBLICAL NARRATIVE SHOW THAT
POVERTY AS AN ISSUE IS AN ISSUE
OF THE COMMUNITY RATHER THAN AN
ISSUE OF IMPACTED. INDIVIDUALS
THIS AND OTHER BIBLICAL
NARRATIVES SHOWS US THAT GOOD
AND EQUITABLE ECONOMIC PRACTICES
STRENGTHENS ANY COMMUNITY. LET
ME JUST LIFT UP A COUPLE. UH,
PASSAGES FROM THE SACRED TEXT
BEGINNING AT PSALM 1 13 7
THROUGH NINE. IT READS THIS WAY.
HE GOT RAISES UP THE POOR OUT OF
THE DUST AND LIFTS UP THE NEEDY
FROM THE DUNGHILL THAT HE MAY
SET HIM WITH PRINCES, EVEN WITH
THE PRINCES OF HIS PEOPLE, HE
MAKES THE BARREN WOMAN TO KEEP
HOUSE AND TO BE A JOYFUL MOTHER
OF CHILDREN. FROM THIS PASSAGE.
WE SEE THAT, YEAH, WAY TAKES
CONCRETE ACTIONS, AND HE RAISES
UP THE NEEDY AND THE POOR AND
MOVES THEM TO PLACES OF
BELONGING IN A COMMUNITY SUCH AS
THIS ONE, GIVING THEM A SEAT AT
THE TABLE AND A VOICE OVER THE
MICROPHONE. THEY ARE EMPOWERED,
THEN TO SIT AT THE TABLE AND
HAVE A SAY. AND THE WIDOW WHO
HAD NOTHING WHO WAS TOTALLY
DISENFRANCHISED IS IN FRANCHISE
TO TAKE CARE OF HERSELF. NOT
JUST EXPECT A HANDOUT BUT TO
TAKE CARE OF HERSELF AND HER
FUTURE. IT IS OUR CREATORS WAY
TO UNDO OR DISMANTLE THE COMMON
AND DESTRUCTIVE WAYS OF SYSTEMIC
ECONOMIC INEQUALITY. FURTHER HOW
WE OURSELVES, CARE FOR THE POOR
IN OUR COMMUNITIES IS DIRECTLY
RELATED TO OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH
OUR CREATOR, WHICH WE BOAST IN
THIS NATION AND IN THIS STATE OF
US BEING FAITHFUL TO OUR CREATOR
, THE POOR AND THE MARGINALIZED
DO INDEED HAVE A SPECIAL PLACE
IN THE HEART OF GOD. IT IS
MESSAGES ON REPENTANCE, ONE MORE
EXAMPLE IN HIS MESSAGES ON
REPENTANCE. JOHN THE BAPTIST
OUTLINED CONCRETE ACTIONS
CONCRETE ACTIONS AS YOU'RE
SEEKING HERE TODAY, MR SPEAKER.
CONCRETE ACTIONS FOR FOLLOWERS
TO TAKE ON BEHALF OF THE POOR AS
THE AS ACTS OF REPENTANCE.
REPENTANCE FOR JOHN WAS ABOUT
REESTABLISHING REESTABLISHING
THE EQUALITY THAT THE CREATOR
HAD INSTITUTED IN THE BEGINNING.
IN LUKE, CHAPTER THREE, THE
PEOPLE ASKED JOHN THE BAPTIST.
WHAT SHOULD THEY DO TO BEAR
FRUIT OF THEIR THAT WAS WORTHY
OF THEIR REPENTANCE. JOHN GAVE
ECONOMIC ACTIONS TO EACH GROUP.
HE SAID. WHOEVER HAS TWO COATS
SHARE WITH THE ONE WHO HAS NONE.
AND WHOEVER HAS FOOD YOU DO.
LIKEWISE WHEN THE TAX COLLECTOR
ASKED JOHN WHAT THEY COULD DO,
JOHN SAID, COLLECT NO MORE THAN
THE AMOUNT OWED. AND THEN WHEN
THE ROMAN SOLDIER COMPLETELY
REMOVED FROM ANY RELIGIOUS
GATHERING, HE ASKED, AND THEN
JOHN SAID YOU WHAT YOU SHOULD DO
IS DO DO NOT JUST EXTORT MONEY
FROM ANYONE BUT BE SATISFIED
WITH YOUR OWN WAGES. BE
SATISFIED WITH YOUR OWN WAGES.
THIS EACH ONE OF THESE IS A
CONCRETE ACTION. EACH ONE OF
THESE ARE ACTIONS OF AN ECONOMIC
NATURE. A REPENTANCE FOR THE
BETTERMENT OF ALL OF SOCIETY.
LASTLY I WILL END WHERE OUR
MAYOR TUBS STARTED WHEN WE WERE
OUT AT THE RALLY, AND THIS HAS
TO DO WITH JESUS INAUGURAL.
SERMON. UPENDED THE ECONOMIC
SYSTEM OF HIS DAY WHEN JESUS
DECLARED THAT THE SPIRIT OF THE
LORD IS UPON ME TO BRING GOOD
NEWS TO THE POOR. REAL POOR. AND
HE WENT ON TO SAY AND TO
PROCLAIM THE YEAR OF THE LORD,
WHICH IS THE YEAR OF JUBILEE TO
PROCLAIM THE YEAR OF THE LORD'S
FAVOR. THIS IS WHAT JESUS SAYS
HE CAME TO DO. JESUS CAME TO
GIVE HOPE AND IT IS CLEAR THAT
THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOTHING HAVE
NOTHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO.
JESUS BROUGHT HOPE TO THOSE WHO
HAD NOTHING. THESE PASSAGES MAKE
IT EVIDENT THAT THE POOR HAVE A
SPECIAL PLACE IN THE IN GOD'S
HEART. THE D N A OF YEAH WAY IS
TO CARE FOR THE POOR. IF CARING
FOR THE POOR IS PRIMARY TO THE
FOLLOWING TWO FOLLOWING GOD THEN
CARING FOR THE POOR IS INDEED
GOD'S WORK AND SHOULDN'T CARING
FOR THE POOR. BE OUR WORK.
FURTHER WHEN OUR CURRENT
POLICIES AND PRACTICES DO NOT
REFLECT GOD'S SAME COMMITMENT TO
THE POOR. WE ARE OPERATING IN ON
GODLINESS. WHEN OUR POLICIES ARE
NOT OPERATING AS GOD'S PRACTICES
OF CARING FOR THE POOR, WE ARE
ACTING IMMORALLY. CAN WE
CONTINUE TO TREAT THE POOR AS
EXPENDABLE AND DISMISSED THEIR
NEEDS, OR SHOULD WE JOIN GOD IN
SOLIDARITY WITH CARING FOR THE
POOR? SHOULD WE BE ABOUT THE
BUSINESS OF ESTABLISHING PERIODS
OF RELEASE AND NOT SHOULDERING
THOSE WHO ARE ALREADY DOWN WITH
MORE WEIGHT TO CONTINUE TO STAY
DOWN? SHOULD WE NOT PUT IN PLACE
SOME RELEASE WHEN IT IS SIMPLY
RELEASED WHEN IT COMES TO AN
EVICTION WHEN THE EVICTION
OCCURRED. 15 YEARS AGO, AND IT
IS STILL ON THE RECORD OF
SOMEONE WHO CAN'T GET A HOUSE
TODAY WHO CAN'T GET A RENTAL
AGREEMENT TODAY? SHOULD WE BE
THINKING ABOUT RAISING SOME
CYCLES OF RELEASE SO THAT THE
POOR DO NOT HAVE TO PERPETUATE
POVERTY TO THE NEXT GENERATION
AND THE NEXT GENERATION AND THE
NEXT GENERATION? I YIELD MY TIME
AND I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YEAH
YOU. THAT WAS POWERFUL. UH AND
NECESSARY. I GOT GOOSE BUMPS.
THIS HEARING. FOR FOLKS IN THE
ROOM. THIS HEARING IS ALSO BEING
SHOWN THROUGHOUT THE ASSEMBLY.
AND MANY MEMBERS IN THEIR OFFICE
ARE WATCHING THE HEARING RIGHT
NOW. IN FACT, I GOT A TEXT
MESSAGE TOWARDS THE END OF YOUR
TESTIMONY. I WON'T SAY FROM WHO
? REGGIE JONES SAWYER. SAID.
AMEN, SISTER. SO THANK YOU FOR
SHARING. THAT POWERFUL REMINDER
THAT. WORKING TO END POVERTY IN
CALIFORNIA ISN'T JUST THE RIGHT
THING TO DO POLITICALLY OR
POLICY WISE, IT IS THE MORALLY
RIGHTEOUS THING TO DO. HEART.
LAST PERSON ON THE FIRST PANEL
PANEL TO TESTIFY IS A ANOTHER
DEAR FRIEND WHO HAS TESTIFIED
WITH ME ON A NUMBER OF ARE
PIECES OF LEGISLATION THIS YEAR
AND, UH, THAT IS MISS CATHY
SANDERLING FROM THE COUNTY
WELFARE DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION.
THANK YOU, SIR. UM WHOEVER PUT
ME LAST. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
THAT. UM UH, SUCH THIS. EVERYONE
IS A TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW. BUT,
WOW, UM THANK YOU, PASTOR. UM SO
, YES, JUST KEEP GOING. THE MY
MEMBERS AND I REALLY APPRECIATE
THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ON THIS
PANEL AND TALK ABOUT SUCH AN
IMPORTANT AND REALLY TIMELY. I
MEAN, UNFORTUNATELY. IT'S KIND
OF ALWAYS FAMILY TO TALK ABOUT
POVERTY BECAUSE WE HAVE
EXPERIENCED IT AND IT IS AN
ONGOING PROBLEM AND THE HEADWAY
THAT WE MADE DURING THE PANDEMIC
OR THE DEPTHS OF THE PANDEMIC.
IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S GONE. UM
CERTAINLY I THINK WE HOPED TO
CONTINUE THAT MORE THAN IT HAS
SO FAR. SO HAVING THE
OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THIS PANEL
HERE TO TALK ABOUT HERE IN
CALIFORNIA. WHAT CAN WE DO IS
REALLY EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AND
THINKING ABOUT THE QUESTION OF
HOW TO PROVIDE GREATER ACCESS TO
PUBLIC BENEFITS, BECAUSE THAT'S
WHAT THE COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES
AGENCIES DO. HOW CAN THOSE
BENEFITS BE AS HELPFUL AND
USEFUL AS POSSIBLE TO PEOPLE AND
HELPING THEM MOVE OUT OF POVERTY
AND REALLY EMPOWER THEM TO MOVE
OUT OF POVERTY AND, UM, BE IN
CONTROL OF THEIR OWN LIVES? AS
YOU'VE HEARD FROM THE OTHER
PANELISTS, AND I EXPECT THAT YOU
WILL HEAR FROM THE NEXT PANEL IS
ESSENTIALLY OUR MAIN SLIGHT MAIN
LIFE'S WORK. WE HAVE THOUGHT A
LOT ABOUT HOW OUR PROGRAMS AND
SERVICES HELP PEOPLE KEEP THE
ROOF OVER THEIR HEADS. KEEP FOOD
ON THE TABLE. GIVE THEM THE
ESSENTIALS FOR THEM AND THEIR
FAMILIES. BUT ALSO A IT REALLY
IS MORE THAN JUST THE ESSENTIALS
THAT WE'RE HOPING PEOPLE CAN
ACHIEVE HERE. WE WANT TO BE ABLE
TO SUPPORT CHANGING LIVES,
HELPING PEOPLE GAIN CONFIDENCE,
HELP THEM BE EMPOWERED AND NOT
MARGINALIZED OR SHAMED FOR
UTILIZING THE SERVICES AND
SUPPORTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE AND
SOMETHING THAT I JUST WROTE DOWN
AS THE PASTOR WAS SPEAKING WITH
HOPE TO REALLY GIVE THEM HOPE TO
BE ABLE TO CONTINUE AND SUPPORT
THEIR FAMILY. AND LIKE WE WERE
TALKING HAVE THIS HAVE THEIR
CHILDREN. BEING A BETTER PLACE.
AND THEN THEN THEY MAYBE TODAY.
UM WE'VE BEEN WATCHING WITH
INTEREST. WE'RE EXCITED TO
PARTICIPATE IN THE GUARANTEED
INCOME PILOTS THAT WERE HOPING
ARE GETTING GOING SOON. C W. D A
AND OUR MEMBERS HAVE FOUGHT
ALONGSIDE MANY AT THIS TABLE TO
GET THE EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT
HERE IN CALIFORNIA AND HOPING
THAT THAT CONTINUES TO BE
EXPANDED AND WE'RE WORKING TO
ENSURE WE REACH AS MANY FAMILIES
AS POSSIBLE WITH OUR COW WORKS
PROGRAM AT AS MR HAROLD NOTED,
THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF CHANGES
SINCE THE PROGRAM WAS ENACTED IN
1998. IT REALLY WAS, I THINK
BUILT ON SO MUCH OF A CLASSIST,
RACIST AND MISOGYNISTIC HISTORY
IN OUR COUNTRY. THAT WE'VE
WORKED HARD TO INCREASE THE OH,
THERE'S STILL AN EXISTENCE TO
ASSET LIMITS TO LENGTHEN TIME
LIMITS BACK TO THE ORIGINAL 60
MONTHS, THOUGH, 60 MONTHS IS NOT
GOING TO BE ENOUGH FOR A LOT OF
PEOPLE, AND SO HOW TO TIME
LIMITS WORK FOR PEOPLE WHEN IT
MAY TAKE LONGER THAN THAT TO GET
UM BACK ON YOUR FEET, BUT ALSO
BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THAT THAT
INCOME THAT YOU NEED AND THE
EDUCATION THAT YOU NEED TO BE
ABLE TO REALLY THRIVE. WE'VE
ALSO BEEN ABLE TO INCREASE OUR
INCOME LIMITS SO MORE PEOPLE CAN
GET ON THE PROGRAM. THEY CAN
STAY ON THE PROGRAM LONGER.
WE'VE ELIMINATED THE MAXIMUM
FAMILY GRANT PROGRAM, WHICH WAS
I MEAN, POSSIBLY ONE OF THE MOST
RACIST RULES WE'VE EVER HAD IN
ONE OF OUR PROGRAMS. UM THAT AND
SO NOW, UM, WHEN A FAMILY HAS A
BABY, AND THEY'RE ALSO RECEIVING
COW WORKS, THEY GET AN INCREASE
IN THEIR CASH ASSISTANCE FOR
THAT CHILD, WHICH IS, UM, THE
CERTAINLY THE MORALLY RIGHT
THING TO DO, AS WELL AS THE
LOGICALLY RIGHT THING TO DO TO
HELP SUPPORT CHILDREN. AND
BABIES AS THEY COME INTO THE
WORLD, AND WE'VE ALSO DONE
SOMETHING THAT MR HAROLD ALLUDED
TO, WHICH IS TO TAKE A HARD LOOK
AT OUR PROGRAM AND THINK ABOUT
HOW DO WE DO A BETTER JOB OF,
UM, MEETING FAMILIES WHERE THEY
ARE HAVING THEM WORK WITH US TO
SET GOALS THAT MAY NOT BE GO
IMMEDIATELY AND FIND A JOB, BUT
MAYBE EDUCATION RELATED. PERHAPS
THERE'S BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
CHALLENGES WITH THE FAMILY OR
WITH THE CHILDREN, AND CERTAINLY
WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF THAT IN THE
PANDEMIC AS THERE IS A NATIONAL
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CRISIS,
ESPECIALLY AMONG OUR CHILDREN.
HOW DO WE HELP THEM? LOOK TO SEE
WHAT'S OUT THERE AS FAR AS
POSSIBLE LABOR MARKET
OPPORTUNITIES THAT, FRANKLY
HAVEN'T ALWAYS BEEN AVAILABLE TO
THEM. BUT MAYBE NOW, AS SO MANY
EMPLOYERS ARE WILLING TO TRAIN
PEOPLE WILLING TO PAY PEOPLE
WELL WILLING TO GIVE THEM
SIGNING BONUSES TO SIGN ON. ARE
THERE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR
FAMILIES THERE AS WELL? AND HOW
CAN WE HELP THEM? YOU KNOW,
THINK ABOUT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES
AND THINK ABOUT HOW TO ACHIEVE
THEM, BUT WE'RE STILL STRUGGLING
WITH PAPERWORK BURDENS WITH
LANGUAGE BARRIERS. THE ASSET
TESTS THAT I MENTIONED THE
PENALTY THAT MR HAROLD
MENTIONED. AND THESE REALLY ARE
TWO HUGE DEGREE STATE CHOICES.
WE ARE GIVEN A TREMENDOUS
LATITUDE BY THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT REGARDING THE CHOICES
AND THE RULES THAT WE PUT IN
PLACE. MANY STATES HAVE ENGAGED
IN A RACE TO THE BOTTOM AND
THANK GOD WE'RE NOT ONE OF THEM
. WE SERVE AROUND 70% OF THE
FAMILIES THAT ARE IN DEEP
POVERTY. THERE ARE STATES THAT
SERVE UM, THERE ARE 14 STATES
THAT SERVE LESS THAN 10% OF THAT
SAME GROUP. UM, AND IN A STATE
LIKE TEXAS OR YOU NEED TO BE
TREMENDOUSLY TREMENDOUSLY PORNO
INCOME, BASICALLY, AND YOU GET A
VERY SHORT AMOUNT. OF TIME ON
THE PROGRAM. YOU GET NO SERVICES
. VERY FEW SERVICES, IF ANY, AND
THE AMOUNT OF THE CASH
ASSISTANCE IS, UM, IT'S A COUPLE
$100. SO WE AT LEAST HAVE
ACHIEVED GREAT LEAPS AND BOUNDS
BEYOND THAT, BUT WE DO STILL
HAVE MORE WORK TO DO. AND SO I
THINK SOME OF THE SOLUTIONS JUST
TO WRAP UP AND THEN I KNOW YOU
HAVE A MILLION QUESTIONS FOR US.
IT SOUNDS LIKE, UM AND THANK YOU
TO THOSE WHO JOINED IS TO
CONTINUE EXPANDING THE EITC.
THAT'S OUTSIDE OF COW WORKS, BUT
I THINK IT'S REALLY CRITICAL
DIMENSION TO REALLY EMBED THE
PRINCIPLES THAT WE'VE COME UP
WITH. REGARDING HOW WE MOVE FROM
CAL WORKS ONE POINT OH, WHICH
I'VE TALKED ABOUT THE
SHORTCOMINGS INTO WHAT WE THINK
OF AS COWARDS. TWO POINT OH,
BETTER WORKING WITH FAMILIES. UM
INSTEAD OF, UM SORT OF AT THEM
AND TELLING THEM WHAT WE THINK
THEY NEED AND LISTENING TO THEM
INSTEAD. UM AND, UM, INSURING
THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK TO
MAKE OUR PROGRAMS JUST AS EASY
AS POSSIBLE TO ACCESS ADDRESSING
THE CHILD SUPPORT ISSUES THAT MR
HAROLD AND THAT THE ESTEEMED
CHAIR HAVE MENTIONED AND WE ARE
SO PROUD TO BE A CO SPONSOR OF
HB 16 86 AND FINALLY, JUST DOING
WHAT WE CAN TO, UM, CONTINUE
WORK THAT'S BEING DONE IN
COUNTIES NOW AND ALSO NOW AT THE
STATE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL
SERVICES AND SUPPORTED BY THE
LEGISLATURE IN THIS CURRENT YEAR
TO DO MORE WORK REGARDING HOW TO
TRAIN OUR STAFF TO RECOGNIZE AND
OVERCOME BIASES THAT THEY MAY
HAVE TO HELP THINK ABOUT EQUITY
AND THE WORK THAT WE DO, UM,
WE'RE ENGAGED IN DEVELOPING THAT
AND BUILDING ON WHAT COUNTIES
HAVE ALREADY DONE TO HAVE
STATEWIDE BE ABLE TO DO THAT,
AND THAT'S SOME EXCITING AND
REALLY CRITICAL TO WHAT WE DO.
SO THAT'S A LOT AND LOOKING
FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION AND
THE SECOND PANEL AND THANKS FOR
THE OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU,
CATHY. UM. WE WERE JOINED IN THE
MIDDLE OF THAT TESTIMONY BY TWO
OF OUR COLLEAGUES, I SUSPECT
MORE WILL BE ON THE WAY. BUT
INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH BETWEEN THE
THREE OF US UP HERE YOU HAVE SAN
FRANCISCO REPRESENTED LOS
ANGELES REPRESENTED AND OUR
RURAL COMMUNITIES ARE
REPRESENTED. AND SO WITH THAT
I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT UP TO
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S HANEY AND REVIS
FOR ANY KIND OF THOUGHTS,
REMARKS ABOUT TODAY'S GATHERING
AND QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE OF
OUR FIRST PEN. SO MY NAME IS
ROBERT RIVAS AND I, UM
REPRESENT, UH A REGION OF OUR
STATE, WHICH IS IN THE CENTRAL
COAST. IT'S THE SALINAS VALLEY,
THE PAJARO VALLEY. IT'S UH YOU
ALL LIKE STRAWBERRIES AND
LETTUCE. IT'S COME FROM OUR
DISTRICT. UM AND I COME FROM ONE
OF THOSE FAMILIES THAT I GREW UP
IN POVERTY. I WAS RAISED BY A
FAMILY OF IMMIGRANT FARM WORKERS
AND SO LIVE THE 1ST 10 YEARS OF
MY LIFE AND IN, UM, A TRACT OF
MIGRANT FARMWORKER HOUSING. AND
SO WE TALK ABOUT THE ISSUE HERE.
THAT'S WHY I APPRECIATE
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S BRIAN. SOME OF
THEM ARE HANEY AND ALL OF YOU
FOR MAKING THE TIME TO BE HERE
BECAUSE POVERTY IS THE ISSUE OF
OUR TIME. I MEAN, IT CONTINUES
TO BE THE ISSUE OF OUR TIME
ABOUT WHAT WE NEED ARE
SOLUTIONS. YOU KNOW, THIS IS
CALIFORNIA. WE HEAR OFTEN THAT
THIS IS THE MOST PROPER STATE IN
IN. UM UH THE MOST PROFIT THE
MOST PROSPEROUS STATE IN THE
WORLD. UM THE FIFTH LARGEST
ECONOMY, YOU KNOW MY MYSELF. I
YOU KNOW, I LIVE. UM A 40 MINUTE
. DRIVE UP NORTH IS ONE OF THE
MOST AFFLUENT AREAS ANYWHERE IN
THE WORLD. THE SILICON VALLEY.
I'VE ALWAYS HAD FAMILIES IN OUR
DISTRICT, UM, THAT LABOR IN THE
FIELDS AND THEY LIVE IN WORLD
THIRD WORLD COUNTRY CONDITIONS.
AND IT'S UNACCEPTABLE. AND SO WE
TALK ABOUT SOLUTIONS. I HEARD
WHEN I WALKED IN HERE, THERE'S
SO MUCH INTERSECTION WITH WITH
POVERTY AND HOUSING WITH POVERTY
AND ECONOMIC SECURITY, FOOD,
SECURITY, EDUCATION, UPWARD
MOBILITY. UM AND YOU TALK ABOUT
A STATE LIKE CALIFORNIA TO LIVE
A DIGNIFIED LIFE. SHOULD BE A
GUARANTEE FOR EVERYBODY, NO
MATTER WHERE YOU COME FROM AND
WHERE YOU LIVE IN THIS STATE,
AND THAT'S WHY I APPRECIATE THIS
SELECT COMMITTEE TO BE A PART OF
IT BECAUSE WE NEED TO DO A
BETTER JOB HERE IN SACRAMENTO IT
IN OUR STATE CAPITAL OF FINDING
THOSE SOLUTIONS. TO REALLY
CREATE A STATE THAT'S GOING TO
BE, UM, UM YOU KNOW, A PLACE FOR
EVERYBODY WHERE EVERYBODY CAN
LIVE THAT DIGNIFIED LIFE WHERE
EVERYBODY, UH, YOU KNOW, EVERY
FAMILY EVERY CHILD IN THIS STATE
, UM, CAN BE WHAT THEY WANT TO
BE. YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY, ACTIONS
ALWAYS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS.
IT'S ALWAYS YOU KNOW, VERY EASY
TO SAY THE RIGHT THINGS, BUT WE
HAVE TO DO A BETTER JOB OF
PROVIDING THOSE SOLUTIONS FOR SO
MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE STRUGGLING
RIGHT HERE IN CALIFORNIA, SO
THANK YOU. I WANT TO THANK
EVERYONE FOR COMING ON TO THANK
THE PANELISTS AND I APOLOGIZE
FOR BEING LATE, BUT I LOOK
FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ALL OF
YOU AND TO LEARNING ABOUT WHAT
YOU SHARED AND HOW WE CAN
PARTNER TOGETHER. ON THIS MOST
IMPORTANT ISSUE AND THANK YOU,
CHAIR BRIAN FOR BRINGING US
TOGETHER AND FOR LAUNCHING THIS
COMMITTEE IF THIS BUILDING CAN'T
FIGURE OUT HOW TO END POVERTY IN
OUR STATE, AND WE'RE NOT DOING
OUR JOBS. THIS IS THE MOST
URGENT. MOST PRESSING, MOST
IMPACTFUL ISSUE IN OUR STATE.
AND WHAT WILL HEAR AND WHAT
WE'VE HEARD ALREADY. I'M SURE IS
THAT CALIFORNIA HAS EVERY
RESOURCE WE NEED TO SOLVE THIS
PROBLEM. WE ARE MAKING A CHOICE.
TO LEAVE SO MANY PEOPLE. IN OUR
STATE, INCLUDING CHILDREN AND
FAMILIES WITHOUT WHAT THEY NEED
TO PROVIDE FOR THEMSELVES. AND
TO BE ABLE TO LEAD A LIFE LIFE
WITH DIGNITY AND SECURITY. THAT
IS SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY IN
OUR STATE SHOULD BE ABLE TO
SECURE AND WE HAVE CHOICES HERE
ABOUT HOW WE PROVIDE THAT TO
THEM. I REPRESENT A DISTRICT
DIFFERENT FROM MY COLLEAGUE HERE
REPRESENTING URBAN DISTRICT, ONE
OF THE MOST DENSE DISTRICTS IN
CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO, THE
EASTERN HALF OF SAN FRANCISCO.
SOME FOLKS WHO ARE HERE ASSEMBLY
DISTRICT 17. AND WHAT? WHAT WE
SEE WHEN WE LOOK FROM FROM THE
RURAL AREAS OF OUR STATE TO THE
URBAN AREAS OF OUR STATE IS THAT
WE HAVE STRUCTURAL ISSUES THAT
ARE CAUSING POVERTY AND IT IS IT
IS A CHOICE THAT IS NOT GOING TO
BE, UH, SOLVED SIMPLY BY
CONTINUING TO DO WHAT WE'RE
DOING NOW, AND IT'S NOT GOING TO
BE SOLVED BY JUST HOPING THAT BY
HAVING PROXIMITY TO WEALTH OR BY
BUILDING MORE WEALTH OR GROWING
MORE WEALTH OR GETTING MORE
RESOURCES FOR THE STATE THAT
SOMEHOW THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE
THE CONDITIONS ON THE GROUND.
FOR SO MANY OF OUR FAMILIES. SO
WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER. UH THE
THREE OF US UP HERE WILL BE HERE
FOR A LONG TIME. AND SO I HOPE
YOU'LL BRING US YOUR POLICY
IDEAS. I HOPE YOU'RE DEMAND THAT
THE CHANGES THAT YOU KNOW ARE
NEEDED WITH THE FOLKS THAT YOU
WORK WITH AND THAT YOU
REPRESENT. AND YOU HAVE OUR
COMMITMENT AS PART OF THIS
COMMITTEE AND BEYOND TO TRULY
CONFRONT AND AS MY FRIEND
MICHAEL TUBBS. HAS SAID UPSET
THE SETUP. AND I DID WANT TO ASK
A QUESTION IF THAT'S OKAY.
ABSOLUTELY. AH! YOU KNOW, I KNOW
. UH, MR TUBBS, YOU'VE YOU'VE
REALLY BEEN. AH SOMEBODY WHO HAS
BEEN OUT THERE TALKING ABOUT THE
ROLE OF GUARANTEED INCOME. AND
WE'VE NOW SEEN A NUMBER OF OUR
CITIES, INCLUDING SAN FRANCISCO
. LAUNCH PILOTS. UH THERE ARE
PILOTS NOW ALL OVER THE COUNTRY
. THANKS AND NO SMALL PART TO
YOUR LEADERSHIP. UH AND NOW
WE'RE SEEING THE STATE COME
FORWARD AS WELL. WHERE DO YOU
SEE THIS GOING FOR US UP HERE AS
AS POLICYMAKERS. WHERE DO YOU
WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE US?
TAKE THIS MOVEMENT AT A STATE
LEVEL IN THE NEXT 5 TO 10 YEARS.
WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE US
B. IN 2030 WHEN IT COMES TO
GUARANTEED INCOME. THANK YOU FOR
THE QUESTION, ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
AND SO GREAT TO SEE YOU AND
CONGRATULATIONS ON THE ON THE
CHAMPIONSHIP. UM I HEARD THAT
YOU WERE WHEN THE WARRIORS
YESTERDAY. MM. YEAH. YEAH. UM
AND IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, I THINK
SORT OF FROM ALL THE SPEAKERS.
WE HEARD FROM TODAY THAT WE HAVE
SUCH A GREAT FOUNDATION TO BUILD
UPON IN CALIFORNIA WITH THEIR
EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT. AND
CONTINUING CONTINUALLY TO FIND
WAYS TO EXTEND THAT DEEPER TO
MORE PEOPLE. I THINK IT'S THE
WAY TO GO, BUT IDEALLY, THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WOULD STEP IN
AND HAVE SOME SORT OF GUARANTEED
INCOME, BUT AS CALIFORNIA'S
CONTINUING LEAD WHEN THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT DOES AND I THINK, BY
TWEEN 30, CALIFORNIA THE FIRST
STATE WITH SOME SORT OF
GUARANTEED INCOME POLICY OR
INCOME TAX CREDIT THAT DOES, AT
LEAST FOR PEOPLE MAKING 50 CARE
BELOW, AT LEAST FOR PEOPLE
MAKING THE STATE MEETING AND
BELOW AS A STARTING POINT. UM
THAT WOULD BE AND I WOULD DO A
HUGE BOON TO WHAT WE TALKED
ABOUT TODAY IN TERMS OF ENDING
POVERTY BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT
EVERY SINGLE PERSON WHO NEEDS IT
HAS AT LEAST A FLORIDA BUILD
UPON TO BUILD THE WEALTH AND
CREATE I'M JUST A WE DESERVE TO
LIVE IN. THANK YOU FOR SAYING HE
I HAVE A QUESTION TO FOR MISS
GASKINS. MR. TUBBS. ANYBODY WHO
CAN ANSWER IT FOR ME. ABOUT
MAYBE BOND'S BEEN HEARING A LOT
OF THINGS ABOUT BABY BONDS. I'VE
TRIED TO DO MY BEST TO STUDY. DR
HAMILTON'S WORK AND OTHERS AND
I'M I'M TRYING TO WRAP MY HEAD
AROUND. WHAT ROLE YOU THINK THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA INDIVIDUALLY
CAN PLAY IN THAT AND THEN TO
PIGGYBACK ON THE COLLABORATION
BETWEEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
THAT'S NECESSARY TO REALLY MOVE
THE BIG IDEAS AND TO WHAT EXTENT
CAN WE DO THIS OURSELVES VERSUS
NEEDING TO CALL FOR ACTION
NATIONALLY? YEAH, I THINK. WELL,
THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTIONS AND
BRIAN. UM AND I KNOW YOU KNOW
THIS WORK. WELL UM, IN TERMS OF
WHAT THE STATE CAN DO, WE'RE ON
OUR WAY. THANK YOU TO THE
LEGISLATURE RIGHT NOW, IN TERMS
OF THE 100 MILLION BUDGETED FOR
BABY BONDS. TO PILOT IT WITH
CHILDREN WHO HAVE LOST A PARENT
TO COVID, WHICH WE ARE AT 30,000
CHILDREN AT THIS POINT IN
CALIFORNIA AND CHILDREN HAVE
BEEN IN FOSTER CARE LONG TERM.
AND I THINK YOU KNOW, WE WOULD
IDEALLY LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE HAVE THIS PROGRAM FOR ALL
CHILDREN THAT WERE BORN ON
MEDICAL IN CALIFORNIA. WE KNOW
THAT WE COULD DO THAT. AND
MAKING ENSURING THAT EVEN WITH
OUR STATE BUDGET AND ARE IF WE
CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE
SURPLUSES, AND MAYBE WE WOULD
SAY, ARE THE BUDGET NOW AND NOT
JUST A SURPLUS. UM THAT WE COULD
DO THIS IN CALIFORNIA AND IN
FACT REALLY LEAD THE WAY FOR THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO UNDERSTAND
THAT THIS IS A TRUE INVESTMENT
THAT IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT, UM,
ENSURING THAT FOR TODAY BUT
TOMORROW AND GETTING AT REALLY
THE VESTIGES OF SLAVERY. UM AND
IN TERMS OF THE WEALTH
INEQUALITY THAT HAS BEEN IMPOSED
UPON, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE OF COLOR,
AND I THINK CALIFORNIA HAS
ALWAYS BEEN FIRST TO LEAD. WE
WON'T BE THE FIRST DATE TO HAVE
BABY BONDS THAT WE WOULD
DEFINITELY BE THE STATE TO HAVE
THE MOST CHILDREN WHO ARE LIVING
IN POVERTY. THE MOST CHILDREN
WHO ARE BORN ON MEDICAL, UM AND
WE CAN SHOW THAT IT COULD HAPPEN
AT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. IF WE
CAN DO IT HERE. WE CAN DO IT
ACROSS THE COUNTRY, SO AND I'LL
LEAVE AND I KNOW THERE'S OTHER
MEMBERS ON THE PANEL MAY WANT TO
ADD TO THAT. WELL I WOULD JUST
ADD TO THE TO THE TO THE
QUESTION ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO.
IT'S CERTAINLY TRUE THAT THE ON
A WHETHER IT'S BABY BONDS OR
GUARANTEED INCOME. WE WERE THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT STEPPING IN
WOULD BE WONDERFUL NEWS. IN THE
MEANTIME, KNOWING THERE WON'T BE
ACTION IN MANY FRIENDS. THERE'S
A LOT THAT CALIFORNIA CAN DO,
AND THE QUESTION THAT ALWAYS
COMES UP IS ABOUT COSTS. ND
TRADE US. IT'S ALL ABOUT POLICY
CHOICES. THE STATE SPENDS $70
BILLION A YEAR ON CORPORATE
TAXES, CORPORATE AND WEALTHY TAX
EXPENDITURES, TAX BREAKS FOR
CORPORATIONS THAT ALLOW THEM TO
REDUCE THEIR TAX LIABILITY TAX
BREAKS FOR WEALTHY PEOPLE ALLOW
THEM TO REDUCE THEIR TAX
LIABILITY TO SYSTEM THAT'S
UPSIDE DOWN. A FRACTION OF THAT
MONEY WOULD DO EVERYTHING THAT
EVERYBODY HAS HAD THAT HAS
PROPOSED ON THIS TABLE FROM BABY
BONDS TO A MASSIVE EXPANSION OF
THE EITC, YOUNG CHILD TAX
CREDIT, REMOVING BARRIERS AND
COW WORKS. THESE ARE ALL JUST
MATTERS OF POLICY CHOICES THAT
THE LEVERS ARE CLEAR. IT'S A
QUESTION OF POLITICAL WILL AND
USE THIS JUMPING MR CHAIRMAN, I
THINK, PARTICULARLY IN ON THE
ISSUE OF POVERTY WHEN WE TALK
ABOUT COSTS. WE'RE REALLY
TALKING ABOUT INVESTMENT RIGHT
WHERE WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT,
LIKE A SUNK COST. WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT SORT OF PUTTING A LITTLE
BIT MONEY TODAY AND REAPING A
DIVIDEND OR BENEFIT 10 15 20
YEARS FROM NOW, AND I THINK AND
BUDGETARY CONVERSATIONS. THAT'S
SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE THINK
ABOUT OH, IT'S THIS MUCH, EVEN
THOUGH IT'S COMPARISON TO WHAT
WE SPEND. BUT IF YOU THINK OF
SORT OF $2 BILLION IN TERMS OF
BABY BONDS, AND WHAT THAT WHAT
DOES THAT MEAN FOR A GENERATION
OF CHILDREN WHO ARE BORN WHO
GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL WITH THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BUY A HOUSE IN
CALIFORNIA OR TO PAY FOR COLLEGE
OR JUST STARTED BUSINESS AND
WHAT THAT MEANS FOR FUTURE TAX
REVENUES OR IF WE TALK ABOUT THE
GUARANTEED INCOME? AND AS AN
INVESTMENT IN HOW WE SIX A COST
SAVINGS IN TERMS OF, UM PUBLIC
HEALTH IMPACTS IN TERMS OF SORT
OF, UM, NOT HAVING TO GO INTO
THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN
TERMS OF SORT OF AGAIN, FOLKS
BEING ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE AND PAY
MORE IN TAXES. IT'S REALLY WHERE
WE'RE HUSTLING BACKWARDS IN
TERMS OF HOW WE SPEND MONEY. AND
I THINK SORT OF THE APPROACHES
WE'VE CALLING FOR TODAY ARE
THOSE THAT ARE BOTH FORWARD
THINKING IN OUR MORAL BUT ALSO
ACTUALLY DEEPLY ECONOMICAL AND
DEEPLY SMART FOR THE FUTURE
PROSPERITY OF THE STATE. THANK
YOU, MR TUBBS. I, UH IT'S BEEN
BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT
THERE ARE SOME FOLKS ON THE
SECOND PANEL THAT ARE ON MORE OF
A TIME CONSTRAINT THAN OTHERS.
AND SO I DEFINITELY WANT TO MAKE
THAT TRANSITION. UM BUT WITH THE
PROMISE TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU
ALL INDIVIDUALLY, BOTH FROM MY
OFFICE AND THE OTHER MEMBERS UP
HERE. AND WITH THAT WE'LL BRING
ON THE PANEL OF LIVED
EXPERIENCED MEMBERS IF THAT'S
OKAY. WHILE WE MAKE THAT
TRANSITION WOULD LIKE TO
INTRODUCE ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S ASH
KALRA. AH WHO'S DECIDED TO JOIN?
WE PUT AN ALL CALL OUT FOR
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S WHO'D LIKE TO
COME IN AND SIT? UH AND
UNSURPRISINGLY, ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
KALRA IMMEDIATELY CAME TO THE
ROOM. SO WELCOME. OKAY?
TWO MORE FOR YOU. THAT'S FINE.
SO THE OTHER THING I WANT TO
REMIND FOLKS IS THAT THERE IS
LEGISLATING GOING ON AND OTHER
HEARING ROOMS DOWN THE HALL. SO
TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT. WE MIGHT
ALSO SWITCH TO KIND OF LIKE A
SNAP. INSTEAD OF WON'T BECAUSE I
KNOW THESE ARE GONNA BE SOME
POWERFUL THINGS THAT WE HERE
TODAY. WITH US. WE HAVE. AMERICA
SILVA FROM PARENT VOICES. UM,
AROUND THERE. WITH APRIL
GRAYSON. FROM THE YOUNG WOMEN'S
FREEDOM CENTER. JOHN BURGESS
BURGESS BROTHERS. CODY VAN
FELDON. JOHN BURTON ADVOCATES
FOR YOUTH. KEVIN CARTER. POOR
PEOPLE'S CAMPAIGN. THANK YOU.
WE'LL START WITH. I'M AROUND TO. ACTUALLY IF YOU LET ME MAKE A
CORRECTION OVER THERE, IT WILL
WALES WE WILL START WITH
CLAUDIA. SHE'S REPRESENTING
FOREIGN VOICES TODAY AND I'M
REPRESENTING THE SAFETY NET FOR
ALL OKAY, UNDERSTOOD. WE CAN
START WITH HER WITH BECAUSE SHE
HAS A BABY. THANK YOU FOR BEING
HERE.
HELLO. SIX. HELLO MY NAME IS
CLAUDIA RAMIREZ. I AM A RESIDENT
OF MARINE. I LIVE WITH MY
HUSBAND AND OUR FORWARD
CHILDREN'S AGES. 14 2011 YEARS
OLD AND OR SEVEN MONTHS OLD
BABY. I AM A MEMBER OF PARENT
VOICES, CALIFORNIA. I AM HERE TO
SHARE WITH YOU A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT MY STORY. BEFORE THE
PANDEMIC. LIVE WAS ALREADY
DIFFICULT FOR OUR FAMILY. MY
HUSBAND AND I WORK AS JANITORS
IN A CLEANING COMPANY. WILL
ALWAYS LEAVE PAYCHECK BY
PAYCHECK, MAKING THE MINIMUM
WAGE AT ONE POINT WE HAD FOR
JOBS BETWEEN US, AND IT WAS
STILL DIFFICULT. TO COVER OR
ESSENTIAL EXPENSES. WE LIVE IN A
HOUSE, BUT WE HAVE TO SHARE IT
WITH OTHER FAMILY BECAUSETHERE
ANY IS TOO HIGH TO PAY BY
OURSELVES. PARAMORE ESSENTIAL
BILLS ARE WATER, ELECTRICITY AND
TRASH. SOMETIMES I HAVE TO PAY
UP TO $600 ONLY FOR THOSE
SERVICES AMONG IN THE PANDEMIC.
THE THIS WAS EVEN WORST. I WAS
LOOKING AT NEWS AND WATCHING HOW
MANY PEOPLE WERE LOSING THEIR
JOBS. I WAS THINKING WHEN WILL
BE OUR TURN? IT WAS VERY
STRESSFUL, AND I WAS ALWAYS
NERVOUS. THEN THEY CALL THAT I
DIDN'T WANT TO RECEIVE A RIGHT.
MY. BUS COLORS AND SAID, WE
DON'T HAVE ANY MORE WORK FOR
YOU. I ASKED MY BOSS IF WE HAVE
, WE WILL HAVE SOME PAYMENT TO
HELP US. INDEPENDENT EMMICK
SITUATION, AND HE SAID NO I WAS
SO DISAPPOINTED AND I FELT LIKE
MY WHOLE WORLD WAS COMING DOWN.
I FEEL LIKE WHAT I AM GOING TO
DO NOW. I NEED TO FIND
SOMETHING. I DON'T IT DOESN'T
MATTER IF I HAVE TO GO WORK ON
THE FRONT LINES AND RIGGS MY OWN
LIFE. BUT I NEED TO DO THIS. SO
CAN I AFFORD THE RENT? THE FOOD
AND EVERYTHING MY FAMILY LATER
TO NEED TO SURVIVE. BUT THE
BILLS DIDN'T STOP. I STARTED
USING MY CREDIT CARDS TO DON'T
FALL BEHIND ON MY BILLS. I WAS
SPENDING MORE THAN THE PAYMENTS
THAT I CALL MAKE. BUT MY FAMILY
NEEDED BECAUSE MY HUSBAND CALLED
KEEP ONLY ONE JOB. SO WHEN WE
FOUND ABOUT. THE FAMILY WHETHER
WE WERE SO HAPPY AFTER SO MUCH
THEIR NEXT THERE WERE A LITTLE
POLITE. IT'S A STILL HARD BUT AT
LEAST HEAR SOMETHING BEING DONE
TO HELP MY FAMILY. FINALLY, A
LITTLE RELIEF. WE HAVE SAVED 300
VERY MONTH. IT WAS HELPING ME
PAY THE MINIMUM PAYMENT ON MY
CREDIT CARD AND PAY AND BY FOOT.
I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE
FAMILY FEAST WAIVERS THAT I WILL
GET FOR ANOTHER YEAR. WE ASKED
THE YOU MAKE THIS PERMANENT SO
WE DON'T HAVE TO COME EVERY YEAR
TO ASK FOR JUST RELIEF. FOR
FAMILIES LIKE OURS. SUBSIDIZED
CHILDCARE, HELP US WORK AND
HELPED ME TO GO TO SCHOOL
TRAINED A CERTIFICATE IN
ACCOUNTING COME FROM MEXICO. AND
I DIDN'T HAVE ANY OPPORTUNITY
ANY OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO SCHOOL
BEYOND THE BASIC IN MY COUNTRY.
WHEN I ARRIVED HERE IT WAS MY
DREAM TO CONTINUE MY EDUCATION.
I START WITH S L CLASSES BECAUSE
I WANTED TO LEARN. AND BECAUSE I
WANTED TO LEARN AND I LOVE TO
LEARN. AFTER LEARN THE LANGUAGE
. I STARTED ON MY ACCOUNTANT
CERTIFICATE. MY GOAL IS NOW TO
GET MY ASSOCIATE DEGREE. BUT I
WOULDN'T TAKING TIME OFF SCHOOL
TO CARRY TOOK CARE FOR MY BABY.
HISTORY IN ONE YEAR OLD SON AND
I WOULD LIKE TO FIND CHOCOLATE
FOR HIM SO I CAN GO BACK TO
SCHOOL. WHILE WORKING AT NIGHT
AT SHANNON, OR THERE ARE NOT
MANY PLACES THAT TAKE CHILDREN
AT NIGHT OR WHO DON'T HAVE
CONTROL OVER THE SCHEDULE. BEST
DATE PASTE CHILDCARE PROVIDER IS
TOO LOW TO MAKE THEM WANT TO
TAKE SUBSIDIZED. FOR THIS REASON
WE NEED TO PAY CHALKER PROVIDERS
MORE MONEY. THEY DESERVE IT. IT
SEEMS FOR WORKING PEOPLE LIVING
IN POVERTY, GAS FOOD RENT ARE
INCREASING FASTER THAN OUR
SALARIES. ALL PROVIDERS ARE
STRUGGLING. WITH THIS SITUATION
IS TO FAMILIES CAN WORK WITHOUT
CHOCOLATE, BUT CHOCOLATE
PROVIDERS CAN AFFORD TO TAKE
LESS MONEY AND ARE CLOSING THEIR
PROGRAMS. AND FAMILIES LIKE MINE
ARE FIRST TO PUT OUR DREAMS ON
HOLD AND STAY LIVING IN POVERTY
BECAUSE THERE'S STATE DOESN'T
NOTE TO MAKE CHILDCARE AVAILABLE
TO ALL. WE ASKED THE GOVERNOR TO
INCLUDE HIGHER WAGES FOR
PROVIDERS IN THE BUDGET. LASTLY
IMMIGRANT FAMILIES ARE WORKING
HARD. BUT ARE BEING LEFT OUT OF
PROGRAM BECAUSE OF THEIR
SITUATIONS. WE STAND IN
SOLIDARITY WITH THE SAFETY NET
FOR ALL COLLISIONS TO INCLUDE
FUNDS FOR IMMIGRANTS WORKER WHO
DEPENDS ON DOING THE PANDEMIC.
LIKE I SAID. IT WAS VERY BAD
BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, AND NOW IT
HAS ONLY GOTTEN WORSE. MANY OF
THE SOLUTIONS IN THE STATE
BUDGET ARE FUNDING FOR ONE YEAR.
WE CAN'T AND SUFFERING BY
FUNDING ONE ISSUE AT A TIME. ON
A YEAR AT A TIME. DECISION
MAKERS CAN PARTNER WITH
FAMILIES. TO COME UP WITH HEALTH
SOLUTIONS TO THE INJUSTICE WITH
COMMUNITIES LIKE MY STORY. THERE
ARE MILLIONS OF OTHER FAMILIES
THAT ARE STRUGGLING WITH SIMILAR
SITUATIONS. THE WAY THINGS ARE
GOING IS NOT WORKING. A FAMILY
SHOWING HAVE TO WORK FOR A JOBS
TO MAKE ENDS MEET, NO MATTER HOW
HARD WE WORK TO WHERE OUR GOALS
, IT SEEMS LIKE THEY GET FARTHER
AND FARTHER AWAY FROM US. THE
SYSTEM IS FAILING US. IT'S NOT
THAT I'M FAILING OR MY HUSBAND
OR THE PEOPLE IN MY COMMUNITY
ARE FAILING IS THE SYSTEM WE
NEED TO BUILD A NEW ONE
TOGETHER. THANK YOU. YES, YES.
MISS RAMIREZ. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING.
YOUR BABY IS BEAUTIFUL, AND I
DON'T KNOW HOW HE SLEPT THROUGH
ALL THAT. UM, BUT THANK YOU FOR
BEING HERE. MS SILVA, WOULD YOU
LIKE TO GO NEXT? SURE. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US
TODAY AND FOR TAKING THE TIME TO
LISTEN TO HER STORIES. UM MY
NAME IS SAMANTHA SILVA. I LIVE
ALSO IN MARINE COUNTY WITH MY
HUSBAND AND MY TWO CHILDREN. I'M
A MEMBER OF FARM BOYS IS
CALIFORNIA AND A PART OF THE
SAFETY NET FOR A COALITION IS A
COALITION. CREATED FOR LIKE 80
OVER ORGANIZATIONS IN THE STATE
OF CALIFORNIA SUPPORT AND
IMMIGRANTS. I'M HERE TODAY TO
ASK YOU TO SUPPORT THE A B 28 47
. THIS PROPOSAL WILL CREATE A
FUND FOR EXCLUDED WORKERS. WITH
$300 PER WEEK FOR AFTER 20
WEEKS, WHICH WILL HAVE MADE A
DIFFERENCE FOR ME AND MY FAMILY.
THEY'RE INDEPENDENT TWO YEARS
AGO WHEN THE PANDEMIC IS START
AT WORK CLEANING HOUSES. FROM
ONE DAY TO ANOTHER. THEY UM
EVERYTHING CHANGED. THE LADY
THAT OF WORK WITH JUST CALLED ME
TO TELL ME THAT THEY CANCEL IT
AS AND THEN THAT WAS IT. IN THE
CASE OF MY HUSBAND, HE WAS
CHANGING JOBS. HE WAS JUST ABOUT
TO JOIN A NEW CONSTRUCTION
COMPANY. BUT WITH THE CLOSURE,
EVERYTHING FELL APART. WE HAVE
NO SAVINGS OR ANYTHING THAT
COULD HELP US. GET AHEAD AT THE
TIME. THE RENT KEEPS RUNNING AND
THE DEATHS CAME. THE FAMOUS
STIMULUS FROM THE STATE WAS A
JOKE. JUST GETTING YOU, UM TO
GET THE CALL IN TO BE ANSWERED.
IT WAS A LOTTERY, NOT TO MENTION
THE FEW WHO WERE ABLE TO RECEIVE
THAT MONEY. LATER BUT MUCH LATER
THE STIMULUS SURVIVE THAT
COMPARED TO THE FEDERAL STIMULUS
WERE NOTHING BUT THEY HELP MANY
FAMILIES WHO STAYED AFLOAT. I
HAVE LOOKED AT LOOKED AT ARE
WORKING IN ANOTHER IN INDUSTRIES
, BUT I HAD A HARD TIME FINDING
SOMETHING THAT FITS INTO MY
CHILDREN'S SCHEDULES, AS MANY
CHILDCARE PROVIDERS HAVE CLOSED
THE DOORS OR REDUCE THEIR OUR
SENSE. THIS HOTEL IS STARTED.
FOR A LONG TIME. WE LIVE ONLY ON
MY SALARY, WHICH ONLY COVERED
THE BASICS. WE HAVE TO GO TO THE
FOOD BANK. I USE COMMUNITY
RESOURCES, BUT WITH OUR CHILDREN
OR RENT AND EXPENSES. IT WASN'T
ENOUGH. THE MONEY THAT I WAS
PROVIDING MY HUSBAND IS STARTING
TO LOOK FOR WORK ON THE STREETS.
BUT THERE IT IS NOT ALWAYS
WORKED THERE. WE'RE A FAMILY
THAT ALWAYS WILL BE PAYING TAXES
THAT WE WANT TO FULFILL OUR
DREAM OF HAVING A HOUSE. OR UM,
GIVING OUR CHILDREN THE STUDIES
AND THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A BETTER
FUTURE. I'M NOT HERE TO ASK YOU
FOR CHARLIE. I'M HERE TO DEMAND
YOU THAT DO THE JOB. YOU WERE
VOTED FOR. AND THE MAN THE SAME
FOR THE GOVERNOR. WE CAN LET OUR
BEAUTIFUL STATE OF SYNC JUST
BECAUSE WE THINK WE HAVE DONE
WHAT IT IS NECESSARY. NO. IT IS
A TIME TO STOP AND SEE THE
REALITY. HOW MANY HOMELESS
PEOPLE YOU SAW ON THE WAY TO
COMING HERE? HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU
HEAR COMPLAINING ABOUT THE
GASOLINE PRICES. OR THE COST OF
THE PRIMARY SERVICES SUCH AS PG
ANY WATER OR INTERNET? WHAT'S
NOW IT IS THE NECESSARY SERVICE
. AND LET'S NOT TALK ABOUT THE
COST OF THE HOUSING WHERE THE
RINSES STARTS ON 3500 WHERE I
LEAVE. OR THE IF YOU WANT TO BUY
A HOUSE, THEY STARTING PRICE. IT
IS LIKE 900 K. DOES THIS SOUND
LIKE THIS IS A STATE FOR
EVERYONE. NO, RIGHT. DOES THIS
SOUND LIKE THIS IS A CALIFORNIA
FOR ALL KNOW, RIGHT? OR ONLY
THOSE, UM. THAT WHO CAN EARN
LIKE SIX DIGITS. THEY CAN LEAVE
OVER HERE. THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE
LOOKING FOR. OUR COMMUNITIES
HAVE NOT ONLY CONTRIBUTED
CULTURALLY, THEY HAVE
CONTRIBUTED CONTRIBUTED MILLIONS
AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR
YEARS WITHOUT BEING RECOGNIZED.
AND WITHOUT GETTING ANYTHING IN
RETURN, EVEN A PENNY. WE ALL
KNOW THAT BEING THE FIFTH KIND
OF ECONOMY WORK, KANA ME. WE
HAVE THE RESOURCES TO SAVE OUR
STATE AND OUR COMMUNITIES. THE
EYES OF THE WORLD ARE ENOUGH.
BECAUSE WE HAVE SHOWN
LEADERSHIP. NOW IS THE TIME FOR
YOU TO TAKE THE FIRST STEP AND
MAKE HISTORY. IT IS UP TO YOU TO
MAKE CALIFORNIA EXAMPLE TO
OTHERS AND INVEST LONG TERM. IN
OUR PEOPLE CREATE A NEW CHOKERS
. NEW CHILDCARE SYSTEM INVESTING
AFFORDABLE HOUSING, CREATING
UNIVERSAL HEALTH PROGRAM
SUPPORTING MINORITIES WITHIN A
SPECIAL FUND. MENTAL SUPPORT
SYSTEMS, SAFER SCHOOLS. THERE
ARE JUST A FEW IDEAS, BUT IT IS
A LONG LIST. BUT WITHOUT WE WILL
SEE JUST LIKE THAT IDEAS.
THEY'RE IDEAS WORTH NO MORE
WITHOUT YOU. THEY CANNOT BE
REAL. THAT IS WHY I'M HERE
REPRESENTING MORE FINALISTS LIKE
MINE WHO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED AND
BEING SO FREE DURING THIS
PANDEMIC. AND BECAUSE THE SYSTEM
THAT YOU HAVE THE POWER TO
CHANGE THAT IS WHAT I'M ASKING
YOU TO SUPPORT TODAY. A B 28 47
BECAUSE WE FELT LIKE THE
GOVERNOR JUST TURNED THE BACK
AND US. WE FELT REALLY
DISAPPOINTED THAT HE DIDN'T EVEN
LISTEN TO US. HE DIDN'T EVEN
TAKE THE TIME. TO TALK TO US AND
THE COALITION TO HEAR ABOUT IT
SO YOU CAN MAKE THE CHANGE
TODAY. SO PLEASE. MAKES A B 28
47 POSSIBLE AND FARMED EXCLUDED
WORKERS MAKE IT A REALITY. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, MS SILVA FOR
BEING HERE. WE'RE GOING TO SAVE
OUR QUESTIONS. UH, AS A
COMMITTEE FOR THE END SO THAT
EVERYBODY CAN YOU GET A CHANCE
TO TESTIFY FULLY, BUT THAT WAS
INCREDIBLY POWERFUL. AND I'M
GRATEFUL THAT YOU'RE HERE AND
THAT YOU MADE THE TIME TO SHARE
WITH US. UM NEXT, WE'LL BE
HEARING FROM MS GRAYSON FROM THE
YOUNG ONE WOMEN'S FREEDOM
CENTER. GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIR AND
MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE. MY
NAME IS APRIL GRAYSON. I'M A
POLICY ASSOCIATED WITH THE YOUNG
WOMAN SHOOTERS CENTER AS WELL AS
A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE SYSTEM
WHERE FREEDOM COALITION UM, THE
VISION AND MISSION HAS BEEN MORE
FOCUSED OVER THE YEARS WITH THE
YOUNGER MYSTERY TÂM CENTER
HOLDING DOWN YOUTH LED POLICY
WORKING CAMPAIGNS, ALTERNATIVE
MODELS TO INCARCERATION AND
PROGRAMMING FOR YOUNG LEADERS.
AND THE SYSTEM WHERE FREEDOM
COALITION IS HOLDING OUR
STATEWIDE MOBILIZATION SYSTEM
IMPACTED OF SYSTEM IMPACTED
INDIVIDUALS WITH 12 CHAPTERS
ACROSS CALIFORNIA TO LEAD
GRASSROOTS, STATE AND LOCAL
CAMPAIGNS. AND THE
CRIMINALIZATION OF OUR
COMMUNITIES AND FAMILIES. THE
CENTER AND SISTER WORDS HAVE
BEEN DEVELOPING AND OR CO
SPONSORING 10, CALIFORNIA BILLS
FOR THE 2022 LEGISLATIVE CYCLE,
INCLUDING AN INVESTMENT PACKAGE.
TO IMPROVE IT CANNOT ECONOMIC
STABILITY AND THEREFORE GENERAL
SAFETY FOR OUR COMMUNITIES. THIS
PACKAGE INCLUDES EFFORTS TO
RELIEVE THE BURDEN OF JAIL AND
PRISON COMMUNICATION FEES FOR
LOW INCOME FAMILIES WERE
INCARCERATED LOVED ONES.
AUTHORED BY SENATOR BECKER'S SB
10 0. 1008. UM WE'RE ALSO BEEN
WORKING WITH SENATOR BRADFORD SP
13 71 RAISED PRISON WAGES SO
THAT INCARCERATED PEOPLE CAN
ACCUMULATE SAVINGS AND PAY FOR
THEIR BASIC FOOD AND HYGIENE
NEEDS. WHICH WOULD ALSO ALLOW
THEM TO COVER THEIR BASIC NEEDS,
NOT TO MENTION SUPPORT FAMILY
MEMBERS. IF PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO
ACCRUE MEANINGFUL SAVINGS OR
INCARCERATION, THEY WILL HAVE
MORE ABILITY TO COVER THEIR OWN
BASIC NEEDS. INSTEAD OF USING
PUBLIC SAFETY NET RESOURCES
WE'VE ALSO BEEN WORKING WITH
READY JOHN SAWYER A B 23 83 TO
REMOVE DISCRIMINATORY,
DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES THAT
BAR FORMERLY ACROSS FOR THE
PEOPLE FROM STABLE HOUSING.
ANOTHER AMAZING PIECE OF
LEGISLATION THAT WE HAVE BEEN
ABLE TO SUPPORT. SB 13 OH, FOUR
OPTIMIST SPONSORED BY SENATOR
KAMLAGER, A BILL THAT WOULD
INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF GATE
MONEY A PERSON RECEIVES UPON
RELEASE FROM STATE INSTITUTIONS.
TWO YEARS AGO, WE CAME TO THE
CAPITAL AND WE INTRODUCED
FREEDOM 2030 AND OUR FREEDOM
CHARTER. UM WE KNEW THAT OUR
VOICES NEEDED TO BE HEARD. WE
KNEW THAT. THAT THAT THE CHANGE
IS ONLY GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THE
PEOPLE FOR THE PEOPLE BY THE
PEOPLE. OUR FREEDOM CHARTER WAS
DRAFTED SO THAT WE COULD LET
CALIFORNIA KNOW WHAT OUR NEEDS
WERE AND THAT WE WANTED EQUITY
IN CALIFORNIA. UM. THE CENTER OF
THE SYSTEM, WHEREAS NO, IT TAKES
THOSE CLOSEST TO THE PROBLEM
THAT COME UP WITH A SOLUTION.
ALL OF OUR EFFORTS ARE LED BY
THE YOUTH. WE BROUGHT 30 YOUTH
TODAY TO SIT IN ADVOCATE IN THE
SENATE TODAY. FOR THE BILLS THAT
WE EITHER COSPONSORED OR THAT WE
WERE IN SUPPORTIVE. IT'S THEM.
TWO WEEKS AGO, WE HAD A POVERTY
CONVENING WITH MICHAEL TUBBS AND
WE HAD THINK TANKS ON HOW DO WE
COME TO WHAT IS UNIVERSAL BASIC
INCOME? AND HOW DO WE COME TO
THIS? AND WHAT DO WE NEED? TO
ABOLISH SYSTEM BUT TO PUT OTHER
STRUCTURES IN PLACE THAT CAN
HELP THE COMMUNITIES HAVE WHAT
THEY NEED SO THAT WE DON'T
CREATE ANOTHER SYSTEM THAT NOW
OPPRESSES THE PEOPLE FROM
ANOTHER SYSTEM. UM AND IT WAS
ALL THEM SITTING THERE THINKING
AND COMING UP WITH THESE BRIGHT
IDEAS THAT WOULD HELP FREE THEIR
COMMUNITIES AND THEIR FAMILY
MEMBERS LIKE THISIS A MULTI
GENERATIONAL PROBLEM THAT WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT. AND IF WE DON'T
START TODAY, YOU SAID 2030 YOU
ASKED ABOUT LIKE, WHAT DO WE DO
2030 LIKE THAT'S 10 YEARS? WELL,
10 YEARS AGO, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN
10 YEARS. PRESS FOR 2020. SO NOW
WE'RE EIGHT YEARS INTO WHAT
WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON TO GET TO
FREEDOM. 2030 WHAT DOES THAT
LOOK LIKE FOR EVERYBODY? NOT
JUST FOR SOME PEOPLE. UM AND
LIKE, RIGHT NOW, WE'RE
EXPERIENCING A 30% INFLATION IN
CALIFORNIA. AND PEOPLE LIKE ME.
I MAKE A GOOD WAGE. BUT WHAT
ABOUT PEOPLE WHO DON'T AND
THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHO
THAT HE'D GET GAS TO GO TO WORK
OR DO THEY FEED THEIR CHILDREN?
THAT SHOULD NOT BE WHAT WE HAVE
TO STRUGGLE WITH? BUT THE GOOD
THING ABOUT THE CENTER IS WE'RE
DEVELOPING POLICIES WERE PUTTING
THOSE IMPACTED IN THE FRONT
LINES TO LEAD THESE POLICIES.
WE'RE PARTNERING WITH THE
MEMBERS OF THIS LEGISLATURE TO
ENSURE THAT WE CAN ALL BRING
ABOUT A CHANGE THAT IS FOR THE
PEOPLE BECAUSE WITHOUT THE
CONSTITUENTS YOU GUYS ARE JUST
PEOPLE HOLDING AN OFFICE. UM BUT
GRATEFUL FOR THE CHAMPIONS THAT
WERE THAT ARE SITTING ON THE
PANEL SO THAT WE KNOW TOGETHER
WE CAN BRING ABOUT CHANGE. THANK
YOU. NEXT. WE'RE GONNA GO TO MR
BURGESS. GREAT. MY NAME IS
JONATHAN BURGESS AND I AM HERE
AS AN ENTREPRENEUR, PART OF
BURGESS BROTHERS, BUT MORE
IMPORTANTLY, FROM SMALL BUSINESS
MAJORITY, AND I'VE HEARD A LOT
TODAY ABOUT POVERTY IN OUR GREAT
STATE OF CALIFORNIA. AND HOW WE
END POVERTY. AND SO SOME OF THAT
IS WHEN I LOOK AT
ENTREPRENEURSHIP. I'M GOING TO
SPEAK ON BEHALF OF BEING AN
ENTREPRENEUR IN THIS GREAT STATE
. HOPEFULLY LEAVE YOU ALL WHAT
SOME SOME THOUGHTS. OF WHAT WE
CAN DO. BUT BEFORE THAT, I'LL
JUST SAY THIS. I'M A PUBLIC
SERVANT FIRST. FOR THOSE OF YOU
THAT DON'T KNOW. I AM ONE OF THE
BURGESS BROTHERS HAVE A TWIN
BROTHER WHO'S IN LAW
ENFORCEMENT. I'VE GOT 27 YEARS
IN THE FIRST SERVICE, BUT AN
ENTREPRENEUR BY SPIRIT AND HAVE
BEEN FOR JUST ABOUT MY ENTIRE
LIFE. I AM NOW AN ADVOCATE FOR
SMALL BUSINESSES. BUT MY STORY
IN HISTORY STARTS BEFORE
CALIFORNIA WAS A STATE. SEE MY
ANCESTORS MIGRATED HERE AS
SLAVES. IN 18 49 18 48 BEFORE
IT'S EVEN PART OF THE UNION. AND
AS A AFRICAN AMERICAN IN THE
STATE. AND FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT
KNOW OUR HISTORY WOULD KNOW THAT
THIS STATE WAS ACTUALLY MEXICO.
SO BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE ARE
UNDER REPRESENTED. AND OUR
ANCESTORS BUILT WHAT WE ENJOY
TODAY AND DIDN'T ASK THE DIME
FOR IT. BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT
ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND
OPPORTUNITIES WE LACK. FACT MY
FATHER CRIED ON HIS DEATHBED
BECAUSE HE COULDN'T LEAVE THE
HOUSE FOR HIS FAMILY. I CAN'T
SAY THE SAME FOR ME. I'VE DONE
WELL AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE,
BUT LET ME SHARE WITH YOU A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT SMALL
BUSINESSES IN THIS GREAT STATE.
UM 4.2 MILLION. SMALL BUSINESSES
OPERATING STATE, CALIFORNIA WITH
OVER 7.2 MILLION EMPLOYEES. BUT
YET VERY FEW OF THEM. CAN
ACTUALLY AFFORD TO PAY LIVABLE
WAGES. TO THEIR EMPLOYEES. I
COULDN'T HELP BUT THINK THE LAY
THAT SPOKE BEFORE ME. IF WHEN
HER EMPLOYER LATER OFF THE HAVE
A STATE CONTRACT. YOU SEE A LOT
OF STATE CONTRACTS OR TIED UP BY
COMPANIES THAT HAVE HAD THEM FOR
THE LAST 10 15, SOMETIMES EVEN
20 YEARS. I'D EVEN DATE BACK TO
WHEN MY ANCESTORS WERE ENSLAVED
IF WE START PEELING BACK THE
LAYERS UM SO I HAVE ALWAYS. AND
OUR ANCESTORS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN
INVOLVED, NOT OWNERSHIP, BUT
THOSE OPPORTUNITIES FOR BIPOD
BLACK AND BROWN INDIGENOUS
PEOPLE OF COLOR. ER MOST NON
EXISTING SADLY, MOST SMALL
BUSINESSES CAN'T AFFORD TO
PROVIDE HEALTH CARE. I KNOW
THERE'S A PROGRAM CALLED CAL
SAVERS. BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE
FIVE OR MORE EMPLOYEES. WHY
CAN'T IT BE LESS? UM THOSE ARE
THINGS THAT WOULD BE ATTRACTIVE.
BUT WHAT IS CAL SAVERS? THERE
AREN'T OPPORTUNITIES. TRUE STORY
, THE PANDEMIC HIT AND I SHIFTED
FROM MY HOSPITALITY SPACE TO
PROVIDE FOR OUR GOVERNMENT. I
BROUGHT IN 800,000 MASKS LEVEL
THREE FROM CANADA BECAUSE OF THE
PROBLEMS THAT WERE EXISTING WITH
MASS OUT OF CHINA. TODAY. ALMOST
TWO YEARS IN THE CONTRACT. I
STILL HAVE 800,000 MASKS AGAIN.
MY WAREHOUSE. BUT I'M SITTING ON
A GOVERNMENT CONTRACT LIST. SO
SMALL BUSINESSES TAKES A LOT OF
TIME TO PUT TOGETHER A CONTRACT
OR GO AFTER A CONTRACT. WE
TALKED ABOUT TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE. MOST SMALL
BUSINESSES WOULDN'T BE IN
BUSINESS. WAITING FOR SOMEONE ON
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TABLE. TO
PULL THE LEVER AND GIVE THEM
OPPORTUNITY. AS I SAID. WHEN OUR
ANCESTORS BUILT THIS GREAT STATE
WE DIDN'T ASK FOR ANYTHING. WE
ACTUALLY DID IT FOR FREE. IT WAS
EVERYTHING AFTER AND I SIT HERE
AND I SEE THE PEOPLE HERE BEFORE
ME TODAY. ENTREPRENEURSHIP. IS A
WAY TO END POVERTY BUT WITHOUT
OPPORTUNITY. WE'VE GOT NOTHING.
AND SO I WANT TO TEST EVERY ONE
OF YOU AND CLOSING YOU NOT ONLY
HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BEGIN TO
CREATE LEGISLATION. BUT YOU HAVE
AN OBLIGATION. IF SENATORS AND
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S OF THIS GREAT
STATE HAVE TERM LIMITS. WHY
DON'T WE HAVE THE SAME? FOR
CONTRACTORS. GOOD QUESTION. AND
HAVE CONTRACTORS THERE. THE
PRIME CONTRACTORS AND LOCAL CITY
AND STATE GOVERNMENTS ARE NOT
DOING THEIR PART TO BRING IN
OTHER INDIVIDUALS WILL
CONSISTENTLY BE IN A STATE OF
POVERTY. WITH THE BEST OF THE
BEST ARE THE ELITE. CONTINUING
TO LOCK UP GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS
, STATE CONTRACTS AND IT'S
SHAMEFUL. FOR US TO BE THE FIFTH
LARGEST ECONOMY IN THE WORLD. IN
A COMMODITY BUYER. AND HAVE
SMALL. BLACK AND DIGITS, PEOPLE
OF COLOR. MARGINALIZED SITTING
ON THESE WAITING LISTS AND COACH
LET ME IN THE GAME. MEMBER
BRYANT. IF YOU'VE EVER PLAYED
SPORTS, AND YOU KNEW THAT YOU
WERE GOOD. BUT YOU'RE SITTING ON
THE BENCH WAITING FOR THAT
OPPORTUNITY. THAT'S WHAT A LOT
OF PEOPLE HERE ARE DOING AND
THAT SMALL BUSINESS CONTRACT AND
IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE A COACH TO
HELP PREPARE YOU TO HELP RIGHT?
THOSE ARE FPS. YOU WOULD HAVE
NEVER MADE IT TO THE BENCH. SO
I'M ASKING ALL OF YOU. TO STEP
UP TO THE PLATE. AND DO. WHAT
WHEN I ASKING YOUR OPPORTUNITY
IS BUT YOUR OBLIGATION TO ALL
THE MEMBERS OF THE STATE. MY
NAME'S JONATHAN BURGESS. I AM A
DIRECT DESCENDANT. RUFUS BURGESS
, WHO WAS THE CALIFORNIA GOLD
RUSH PIONEER BUT A SLAVE. IN
THIS STATE. I PARKED MY TESLA
THAT I DON'T HAVE YET. BUT I'M
GOING TO LAND MY PLANE THERE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR BURGESS
. THANK YOU FOR THAT, MR
BURGESS. I THINK WE DEFINITELY
HAVE TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK
TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT ECONOMIC
INCLUSIVITY INCLUDES OUR SMALL
BUSINESSES. BLACK BROWN POOR.
LEGACY BUSINESSES. ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.
NEXT. WE HAVE CODY VAN FELTON
FROM THE JOHN BURTON ADVOCATES
FOR YOUTH. ADDITIONALLY WE'VE
BEEN JOINED BY ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
REBECCA BAUER-KAHAN. THANK YOU
FOR JOINING US WITH SOME OF
THEM. SO I WANT TO SAY GOOD
AFTERNOON TO MR CHAIR AND
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. MY
NAME IS CODY. I AM A FORMER
FOSTER YOUTH REPRESENTING JOHN
BURTON ADVOCATES FOR YOUTH. I'M
HERE TODAY TO SHARE MY
EXPERIENCE ON HOW POVERTY
INTERSECTED MY LIFE AND THE
RELEVANCE TO OTHER CURRENT AND
FORMER FOSTER YOUTH. I WAS
ADOPTED FOR 13 YEARS AT 16. I
EXPERIENCED HOUSING AND SECURITY
FOR THE FIRST TIME I WAS PLACED
IN A FOSTER HOME WHEN A 28 DAY
EMERGENCY PLACEMENT HOLD AT 17.
MY ADOPTED PARENTS, SOCIAL
WORKERS AND THE CHILD WELFARE
SYSTEM ABANDONED ME. WHEN THEY
WERE SUPPOSED TO BE FACILITATING
FAMILY THERAPY SO I COULD RETURN
HOME. BUT THESE SESSIONS NEVER
HAPPENED AT 18. I WAS KICKED OUT
OF MY FOSTER PLACEMENT. THERE
ARE THREE MAIN ELIGIBILITY
REQUIREMENTS THAT DETERMINES
YOUR ELIGIBILITY FOR EXTENDED
FOSTER CARE. THESE INCLUDE THAT
THE YOUTH MUST BE 18 YEARS OLD.
THE YOUTH MUST BE IN FOSTER CARE
ON THEIR 18TH BIRTHDAY AND THE
YOUTH MUST BE EITHER WORKING
TOWARD COMPLETION OF HIGH SCHOOL
OR GED, ENROLLED IN COLLEGE
EMPLOYED AT LEAST 80 HOURS A
MONTH OR HAVE A DOCUMENTED
MEDICAL CONDITION. THAT EXEMPTS
THEM FROM THE ABOVE REQUIREMENTS
. I WAS 18 YEARS OLD. I WAS IN
CARROT 18. I EARNED MY DIPLOMA
AND BECAME COLLEGE BEFORE I
TURNED 18. IN TERMS OF THE
WRITTEN DEFINITION OF WHAT MAKES
THE YOUTH QUALIFY FOR EXTENDED
FOSTER CARE QUALIFIED YET THE
QUESTION REMAINS. WHY DIDN'T I
RECEIVE SERVICES? I DIDN'T
RECEIVE SERVICES BECAUSE OF THE
HIGH STAKES ELIGIBILITY THAT
REQUIRES ME TO HAVE THE
NECESSARY DOCUMENTATION THAT I
WOULD HAVE RECEIVED IF THE CHILD
WELFARE SYSTEM DID NOT ABANDON
ME. AS A RESULT, I FACED
HOMELESSNESS. NO YOUNG PERSON
SHOULD BE EXITED FROM CARE TO
HOMELESSNESS, NOR SHOULD THEY BE
FACING LONG TERM HOMELESSNESS. A
HUGE FACTOR THAT CONTRIBUTES TO
THE CRISIS TODAY IS GENERATIONAL
, POVERTY SEWN PROGRAMS LIKE
TRANSITIONAL HOUSING FOR CURRENT
AND FORMER FOSTER YOUTH HAVE
RECEIVED PERMANENT FUNDING, BUT
FOR OTHER EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS
LIKE THE HOUSING HOMELESS,
HOUSING ASSISTANCE AND
PROVINCIAL PROGRAM. HAP STILL
NEED PERMANENT FUNDING SO THEIR
YOUTH AND FREE EXTRA GENERATIONS
DON'T RUN OUT OF OPTIONS THE WAY
I DID AND THE WAY COUNTLESS
YOUTH ARE TODAY. I RECOGNIZE
THAT WE HAVE GOVERNMENT
ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS TO HELP
PEOPLE IN POVERTY, LIKE HOW
WORKS COW FRESH AND TAX BENEFITS
SUCH AS THE E I T. C. THESE
BENEFITS ONLY PROVIDE ASSISTANCE
WHEN WE CAN ACCESS THEM, WHICH
IS HARDER THAN YOU MAY THINK FOR
THOSE OF US WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED
FOSTER CARE. MORE THAN ONE
OCCASION. I'VE RECEIVED FRESH
BENEFITS. I'VE HAD MANY
CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU LIKE
MYSELF, AND MANY OF US AGREE
THAT THE AGENCY OFFICIALS THAT
ARE IN PLACE TO HELP US OFTEN
DON'T I'VE BEEN IN SITUATIONS
WHERE I SPEAK TO ONE WORKER AND
THEY TELL ME I'M NOT ELIGIBLE.
BUT THEN, ON THE VERY SAME DAY,
I CAN TALK TO A DIFFERENT
WORKER. AND THEY TELL ME THAT IN
FACT I WAS ELIGIBLE. WHEN IT
COMES TO THE APPLICATION PROCESS
FOR ASSISTANCE. THE MAJORITY OF
CURRENT AND FORMER FOSTER YOUTH
ARE TERRIFIED TO APPLY BECAUSE
WE DON'T UNDERSTAND THE LANGUAGE
AND IF WE FILL OUT ENABLE
APPLICATION WRONG, SERIOUS
CONSEQUENCES CAN RESULT. IN A
SIMPLE MISUNDERSTANDING. MANY
YOUTHS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED CARE
ARE NOT TAUGHT HOW TO APPLY FOR
THESE SERVICES. SO WHEN WE ARE
ON OUR WN, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT
QUESTIONS TO ASK OR WHO TO TURN
TO WHICH EVERY LEADS US TO
FALLING DEEPER INTO POVERTY. WE
NEED SPECIALIZED. BENEFITS
SUPPORT PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE
TRAINING AND PATIENTS TO SUPPORT
YOUNG PEOPLE WITH ACCESSING
THESE BENEFITS. UNFORTUNATELY
THIS ISN'T THE ONLY AREA WHERE
HURDLES EXIST MANY FAST YEARS.
THEY'RE NOT TAUGHT HOW TO FILE
THEIR TAXES. IT WASN'T UNTIL
THIS YEAR, MY FEAR BEGAN TO
DIMINISH WHEN FILING MY TAXES,
AND THAT IS BECAUSE I USED THE
VITA SITE SPECIFIC TO FOSTER
USE. I HAVE HEARD SO MANY
STORIES ABOUT FOSTER YOUTH WHO
HAVE GONE TO TAX PREPARATION
SERVICES AND WERE CHARGED MORE
THAN THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN.
THESE VITAL SITES COST FOSTER
YOUTH NOTHING ALLOWING US TO
COLLECT THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF
REFUND TO HELP US AFFORD OUR
BASIC NEEDS. IF I WAS INELIGIBLE
FOR FINANCIAL AID, MY HOPES OF
ACHIEVING HIGHER EDUCATION WOULD
HAVE BEEN NON EXISTENT. I AM
WORKING TOWARDS MY BACHELOR'S
DEGREE IN PSYCHOLOGY AT
SACRAMENTO STATE UNIVERSITY. I
AM 24 YEARS OLD AND I HAVE BEEN
IN COLLEGE FOR SEVEN YEARS NOW.
AND I WON'T BE DONE UNTIL 2023
OR EVEN LATER. I ALMOST LOST MY
FINANCIAL AID BECAUSE OF HOW
MUCH I WAS STRUGGLING DUE TO MY
TRAUMA AND MY MENTAL HEALTH
DETERIORATING. WITHOUT FINANCIAL
AID. IT'S HARD FOR ME TO IMAGINE
HOW IT COULD HAVE FOUND A
PATHWAY OUT OF POVERTY. WE NEED
TO PREVENT COLLEGE STUDENTS FROM
EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS BECAUSE
IT SETS US BACK YEARS IN TERMS
OF COMPLETING OUR DEGREE, WHICH
SHOULD BE SPENT EARNING IN THE
WORKFORCE. IT SADDENS ME TO KNOW
THE TRAGEDY THAT COVID 19 HAS
BROUGHT TO OUR NATION WITH THE
INCREASE OF FAMILIES
EXPERIENCING POVERTY. WHILE MY
PARENTS DID NOT PASS AWAY DUE TO
COVID 19. I'VE LOST PARENTS AND
CAREGIVERS AND I KNOW HOW HARD
CAN IT CAN BE TO NAVIGATE YOUNG
ADULT LIFE WITHOUT THE SUPPORT
OF FAMILY. THE LEGISLATURE'S
BUDGET INCLUDES SENATOR NANCY
SCANNERS PROPOSAL TO CREATE
TRUST ACCOUNTS OR BABY BONDS FOR
LONG TERM FOSTER USE IN CHILDREN
WHO LOST A PARENT TO COVID. WE
MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO
ENSURE THAT THE FINAL BUDGET
SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR INCLUDES
THIS PROVISION. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION. THANK
YOU FOR BEING HERE AND
TESTIFYING. I DON'T KNOW HOW
MUCH YOU KNOW ABOUT ME. BUT
THERE'S A LOT OF WHAT YOU HAVE
SAID THAT RESONATES ON A VERY
PERSONAL UM, LEVEL HAVING BEEN.
ONE OF NINE ADOPTED CHILDREN AND
THE FAMILY THAT DID FOSTER CARE
FOR 26 YEARS, HAVING HAD
SIBLINGS WHO WERE ADOPTED AND
THEN EMANCIPATED AND PUT BACK
INTO THE SYSTEM. HAVING SPENT
SIX YEARS IN UNDERGRAD MYSELF.
UM, WE WILL FIGHT TO MAKE SURE
THAT WHAT YOU SHARED WITH US IS
NOT JUST HEARD IN THIS ROOM, BUT
ECHOED IN OUR POLICY AND BUDGET
DECISION MAKING. SO THANK YOU.
TO CLOSE US OUT WITH LIVED
EXPERIENCE TESTIMONY TODAY. I
THINK IT'S ONLY FITTING MR
CARTER FROM THE POOR PEOPLE'S
CAMPAIGN GIVES US OUR FINAL
WORD. THANK YOU, REPRESENTATIVE
ISAAC. UM, BRIAN CHAIR. AND THE
REST OF THE COMMITTEE. UH IT IS
AN HONOR TO BE HERE TODAY. T.
GIVE TESTIMONY. UM JUST OVER THE
WEEKEND, I WAS IN WASHINGTON D.
C WITH OUR CAMPAIGN. WHERE WE
DID AN NÓ. MORAL RALLY. NATIONAL
RALLY WITH 45 TO 50 STATES. FOR
LOW WAGE WORKERS AND SERVICE
WORKERS ACROSS THIS NATION. IN
THE CONVERSATION THAT WE'RE
HAVING RIGHT NOW. UH IS A VERY
IMPORTANT CONVERSATION. AND THE
WORK THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING AN EAR TO
HEAR THOSE THAT HAVE THIS
TESTIMONY AND BEING MORE
WITNESSES, AND THAT'S WHAT I AM
HERE TODAY. NOT JUST AS A MEMBER
OF THE POOR PEOPLE'S CAMPAIGN.
BUT AS A MORE WITNESS TO WHAT'S
GOING ON, UH, NOT JUST ACROSS
THIS NATION, BUT HERE IN MY OWN
STATE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT BEING
FIFTH IN THE WORLD ECONOMY. AND
WITH THAT ECONOMY LOOKS LIKE
YEAR AFTER YEAR. AND FOR A
PERSON LIKE ME THAT ON
DISABILITY AND HOW THAT WORKS.
UM. DAY AFTER DAY, UM, IN THE
STRUGGLE OF TRYING TO MAKE THE
ENDS MEET THE MEANS. ABOUT TWO
TO SURVIVE. UM, IT IS VERY HARD.
THE STRUGGLE IS NOT EASY.
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO
HOUSING. AND FOR A PERSON LIKE
ME IN THIS CAMPAIGN THAT GO OUT
TO BEAR WITNESS TO OTHER PEOPLE.
UM BECAUSE I DO BASIC NEEDS AND
I GO OUT TO THE ENCAMPMENTS AND
I SEE OTHER PEOPLE. THAT HAVE
THE SAME INCOME AS ME OR OR SOME
THAT DON'T BUT THEY HAVE AN
INCOME THEY MAY BE, UH, SERVICE
WORKER FAST FOOD WORKER. UH,
CARE WORKER. MANY OTHERS THAT
LIVE ALONG MAIN STREET. AND THIS
IS MY CALLING TODAY TO YOU. INTO
OTHERS ON THIS ON THIS
COMMITTEE, UM AS A, UH, A MEMBER
OF THIS CAMPAIGN. I'VE BEEN HERE
BEFORE IN 2018, AND WE TOOK OUT
40 DAYS. UM TO GIVE PROTEST TO
GET THE EARS OF THE LEGISLATORS
TO MAKE CHANGE THEN AND I WAS IN
2018. AND HERE I AM TODAY.
ASKING AGAIN WITH THESE
BRILLIANT PEOPLE HERE THAT HAVE
SUFFERED IN THIS STATE. IT IS
IMPORTANT. UM NOT JUST THAT. YOU
CHAMBER OTHERS IN THE CHAMBER
HERE US BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T
HEARD US. UM. WHEN WE SEE THAT.
OUR COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN THEY
CALLED GENTRIFIED. AND WE'VE
BEEN PRICED OUT. OF OUR OWN
COMMUNITIES, AND THAT'S WHAT
HAPPENED TO ME. OF BEING PRICED
OUT TO WHERE I CAN'T AFFORD TO
LIVE IN MY OWN COMMUNITY, WHICH
IS A COMMUNITY OF OAK PARK HERE
IN SACRAMENTO. AND THAT
COMMUNITY NOW HOUSING OF TO BUY
A HOUSE THERE ONCE WAS
AFFORDABLE. NOW IT'S UP TO
200,000 AND MAYBE 300,000. AND
THEN TO WALK IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
AND. SEE THE CULTURE OF IT
DISAPPEAR. AND YOU'RE SEEING
YOURSELF DISAPPEAR. UM FROM THAT
BECAUSE OF ECONOMIC DESPAIR. I
KNOW. THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO
FIGHT POVERTY. UM. IT HAS TO BE
POLICY CHANGE THAT IS MADE TRUE
POLICY CHANGE. BECAUSE THAT'S
THE ONLY WAY THAT IS GOING TO
GET BETTER FOR ME AND OTHERS IN
THIS ROOM. FROM THE POLICY
MAKERS THAT MADE THE POLICIES
THAT PUT US IN THIS POSITION,
AND THEN THIS CONDITION. BEFORE
YOU THAT WERE IN THE SEATS. THAT
DID NOT PAY ATTENTION. TO WHAT
WAS HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY
BECAUSE THEY WERE LOOKING TO A
HIGHER ALLEGIANCE AND CREATING A
HILL FOR US. AND HERE THIS HELL
IS HERE TODAY? IT'S A STRUGGLE.
IT'S A FIGHT. THIS IS NOT JUST
POVERTY. THIS IS A PANDEMIC THAT
WE'RE IN NOW. IT'S A DEEPER
PANDEMIC THAN THE PANDEMIC OF
FIGHTING COVID. BECAUSE WE'RE
FINDING SOLUTIONS FOR COVID. BUT
WHEN WE SAY POVERTY YOU KNOW,
IT'S HARD FOR FOLKS ON EVERY
LEVEL TO TRY TO FIND THAT I'VE
DEALT WITH MAYOR STEINBERG. HERE
IN SACRAMENTO. TO GIVE HIM
SOLUTIONS AND THOSE ON THE CITY
COUNCIL TO HELP US FIGHT THESE
YOU KNOW INJUSTICES THAT ARE
HAPPENING. AND EACH TIME THAT I
TELL HIM, HE SENDS MORE POLICE
OUT. TO POLICE THE PROBLEM. AND
THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
CANNOT BE DONE. YOU CANNOT
POLICE POVERTY. BUT YOU CAN DO
WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING OR
TRYING TO DO. IS YOU CAN
LEGISLATE YOU CAN CREATE POLICY
AND THAT'S ALL I WANT TO ASK
TODAY. THAT YOU GUYS IN THIS
ROOM. D DON'T STOP DOING. AND
MAKE SURE THAT. THE POLICIES
THAT YOU MAKE. OUR STRONG
POLICIES. AND THAT YOU ASKED FOR
THE HELP OF OUR CAMPAIGN. AND
WITH MR TUBBS WITH EPIC TO WHERE
WE HAVE A SEAT AT THAT TABLE.
SO, UM. I JUST WANTED TO SAY
THAT BECAUSE YOU'VE HEARD ALL OF
THE OTHER TESTIMONIES AND THESE
TESTIMONIES THAT YOU'VE HEARD OR
THE SAME TESTIMONIES THAT I'VE
HEARD, AND EVEN IN MY OWN
TESTIMONY BUT I JUST WANT TO
THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING EAR TO
HEAR. SO THAT WE CAN MAKE
CHANGE. IN THIS STATE. BECAUSE
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THERE IS
AND THE LAST THING I WANT TO SAY
IS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GROSS
DOMESTIC PRODUCT. WE HAVE TO
UNDERSTAND THAT WE SHARE IN
THAT. YOU KNOW, NO MATTER WHAT
WORK WE DO WE SHARING THAT AND
IT HAS TO BE SOMETHING THAT'S
WRITTEN IN POLICY. BECAUSE ONE
THING IS ABOUT A WAGE. YOU CAN
GIVE A PERSON A WAGE AND, UH,
HIGHER WAGE. BUT HOW LONG WOULD
THAT WAGE LAST HAS TO BE SOME
TYPE OF POLICY THAT'S CREATED.
WHEN THE COST OF LIVING IS
INCREASED AND WHAT IS INCREASING
? THE COST OF LIVING IS THE
BUSINESS THAT CORPORATIONS ARE
DOING IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. THOSE THAT HAVE THE
WEALTH. AND WE HAVE TO NOW WORK.
WE HAVE TO REACH ANOTHER HIGHER
BAR, BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE
FAST FOOD WORKER IS NOW MAKING
15 $18 AN HOUR STILL CAN'T
SOMETHING
THAT FORM. IN LEGISLATION TO
MAKE TRUE CHANGE IN REAL CHANGE.
IT'S LIKE DR KING SAID. IS IT
GOING TO BE A TECH THING? OR IS
IT GOING TO BE A PEOPLE THING
THAT WE FOCUS ON FOR THE FUTURE
? AND I THINK IT SHOULD BE A
PEOPLE THING, BECAUSE WHEN WE
TALK ABOUT CAPITALISM,
CAPITALISM FAILS WHEN PEOPLE IN
THIS AUDIENCE AND EVERYWHERE
ELSE CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY THE
BILLS. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?
AND FOR THE NEEDS OF GROSS
DOMESTIC PRODUCT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MR CARTER. UH, WITH
THAT. I'LL TURN IT TO COMMITTEE
MEMBERS, MR CARL RENNIE.
THOUGHTS QUESTIONS. COMMENTS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR,
AND I WANT TO THANK THE START BY
THINKING THE CHAIR THE MOMENT HE
STEPPED ONTO THE ASSEMBLY OF
FLOORS, BUT MORAL CLARITY AND
PURPOSE THAT WE ARE HERE TO
SERVE THE PEOPLE, AND I
APPRECIATE THAT. AND I THINK
THIS IS INDICATIVE OF THAT. AND
I APOLOGIZE. GONNA GET A LITTLE
LATE, AND BY THE WAY, PEOPLE
COME IN AND OUT. BECAUSE WE HAVE
A LOT OF COMMITTEE HEARINGS JUST
THAT THE OTHER BUT THIS IS ALL
BEING STREAMED IN ARCHIVES, SO I
LOOK FORWARD TO WATCHING THE
FIRST PANEL IN AND MR TUBBS AND
THE OTHERS THAT PRESENTED BUT
I'M VERY HAPPY I WAS HERE. TO
HEAR FROM THE VOICES OF THE
EXPERIENCE BECAUSE THE END OF
THE DAY YOU ARE WHO WE SERVE,
AND I JUST WANT TO GIVE SOME
REFLECTIONS ON SOME OF THE
WONDERFUL COMMENTS. THAT WERE
MADE IN MR RAMIREZ TO HAVE LOOKS
LIKE YOUR BOY IS READY TO
PARTICIPATE IN THE PANEL. I LOVE
THAT, UM, BECAUSE WE'RE HERE FOR
HIM, RIGHT? RIGHT. THAT'S REALLY
WHY WE'RE HERE AND YOU KNOW? THE
WE TALK ABOUT OUR ECONOMY. FIFTH
LARGEST ECONOMY IN THE WORLD.
AND ALL THIS WEALTH BEING
CREATED ALMOST $100 BILLION IN
BUDGET SURPLUS. IT SOUNDS LIKE
WE'RE DOING REALLY, REALLY WELL,
IT SOUNDS LIKE THINGS ARE GOING
GREAT FOR CALIFORNIANS. BUT AS
EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU
POINTED OUT IN DIFFERENT WAYS
IT'S NOT GOING SO WELL AND THAT
MONEY IS NOT QUOTE TRICKLING
DOWN. TO THE GRASSROOTS. TO THE
PEOPLE AND THE COMMUNITIES, AND
WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO DO MORE TO
UPLIFT OUR FAMILIES, INCLUDING
WAGES FOR OUR CHILD CARE
PROVIDERS AND HIGHER WAGES.
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE TAKING
CARE OF OUR BABIES. AND YET THEY
STRUGGLED TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR
OWN BABIES. AND I REALLY WANT TO
GIVE APPRECIATION OF SAFETY NET
FOR ALL COALITION LOVE REALLY
BEEN HONORED TO BE ABLE TO WORK
WITH AND SUPPORT OVER THE YEARS
AND MAKE IT VERY CLEAR WITH THE
SAFETY NET FOR ALL IS DEMANDING
IS NOT CHARITY. IT'S ACTUALLY
GIVING BACK A FRACTION OF WHAT
IMMIGRANT WORKERS HAVE GIVEN THE
STATE. AND THE FACT THAT YOU
HAVE TO FIGHT SO HARD FOR IT. I
THINK IT'S A SHAME, BUT WE'RE
GOING TO KEEP FIGHTING FOR IT.
AND I APPRECIATE YOU FOR THAT.
ON THE SMALL BUSINESS FRONT, THE
I WANNA WHEN I WAS IN SAN JOSE
ON THE COUNCIL AND WE WORK WITH
OUR MINORITY BUSINESS
CONSORTIUM. WERE ABLE TO GET
CONTRACTS GOING TO THE STADIUM,
LEVI STADIUM AND ALL THAT WITH
THE NINERS AND GET A LOT OF
MINORITY OWNED BLACK OWNED
BUSINESSES TO GET THE
CONCESSIONS IN THERE. THAT WAS A
VERY CONSCIOUS, ACTIVE EFFORT.
AND SUBSEQUENT TO THAT FROM THAT
EXPERIENCE WITH OUR TRANSIT
AUTHORITY AND AIRPORT, WE
LEARNED WE NEEDED TO BREAK THE
CONTRACTS INTO SMALLER PIECES.
SO THE LEGACY COMPANIES DIDN'T
JUST WIN ALL THOSE BIG
CONTRACTS. IT HAS TO BE A
CONSCIOUS EFFORT. AND SO I
APPRECIATE YOU MENTIONING THAT
UM AND YOU KNOW THE. WE TALK
ABOUT THE GDP AND THE GROSS
DOMESTIC PRODUCT, AND I THINK
THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF GROSS
DOMESTIC PAIN. AND I MENTIONED
THAT BECAUSE TOMORROW WE'RE
GONNA HAVE THE SILICON VALLEY
PAINT INDEX RELEASED AND SO KEEP
WATCH WORD ONLINE. YOU'LL SEE.
HOW IN SILICON VALLEY WHERE WE
HAVE, YOU KNOW OF THE ALMOST 200
BILLIONAIRES IN THE STATE, MOST
OF THEM LIVE IN SILICON VALLEY.
AND THERE'S SO MUCH PAIN. THERE
IS A GREATER DIVIDE OF RICH AND
POOR WITHIN SOME OF THE
WEALTHIEST ZIP CODES IN THE
NATION WITHIN 10, MILES, YOU
HAVE PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY.
AND UM, SO I THINK WE NEED TO
REMEMBER THAT WHEN WE LOOK AT
THESE NUMBERS OF THE ECONOMY WE
HAD, WE HAD TO REALLY THINK
ABOUT WHO IT'S AFFECTING. YOU
THINK IF WE TALK ABOUT THE BABY
BONDS, RIGHT, AND THAT'S AND
THAT'S PUTTING IN SEEDS FOR THE
FUTURE. BUT RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE
STILL THERE SO MANY PLANTS AND
SOME ARE FLOURISHING. SOME
AREN'T AND WE HAVE TO KIND OF
PULL THE WEEDS. AND WHAT ARE THE
WEEDS? WEEDS DO HAVE TO DO WITH,
YOU KNOW, WITH ALL THIS PROFIT
IS MASSIVE CORPORATE TAX BREAKS
ARE GIVEN THAT'S A POLICY
CHOICE, RIGHT? WE'RE CHOOSING.
TO USE OUR FIND MONEY FOR THAT,
AND I KNOW WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT
COMPETITION. WE'RE NOT GONNA BE
COMPETITIVE. LARGEST ECONOMY
RECORD PROFITS. I THINK WE'RE
SHOWING WE'RE PRETTY
COMPETITIVE. BUT THE BENEFITS OF
THAT COMPETITION AREN'T GOING TO
THE WORKERS. AND SO WHEN WE TALK
ABOUT INDIVIDUAL UM EMPLOYMENT.
AND JOBS, AND SOME INDUSTRY
GROUPS TALK ABOUT JOB KILLERS.
OR THERE'S BILLS A JOB BECAUSE
THAT BUILDS A JOB, BUT WHAT
THEY'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT. IS
HARMING THE JOBS THAT ARE PROFIT
CENTERS THAT ARE JUST FOR
CREATING PROFIT. BUT WHAT IS THE
JOB? IF IT'S NOT UPLIFTING
PEOPLE IF IT'S NOT GIVING THEM
THE ABILITY TO SURVIVE, AND SO
YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT AS OUR
CHAIR VERY WELL PUT IT. BUT YOU
ARE TELLING US NEEDS TO BE
ECHOED IN OUR POLICIES AND
BUDGET DECISIONS. BOTTOM LINE.
AND I DON'T THINK IT IS ENOUGH.
I THINK IT DEFINITELY GETS
BROUGHT UP. IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE
ALWAYS FIGHTING FOR EVERYTHING.
AND THAT THOSE THAT FIGHT
AGAINST SOME OF THESE MEASURES
ARE BEING TREATED AS EQUAL
VOICES WHEN, ACTUALLY THERE,
THEY HAVE A LOT MORE POWER IN
OUR ECONOMIC SYSTEM AND
SOMETIMES A LOT MORE POWER IN
THIS BUILDING. AND WE HAVE TO
RECOGNIZE THAT IMBALANCE OF
POWER AND WHAT THE COSTS ARE, IF
WE DON'T TRY TO BALANCE IT OUT.
AND YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WE
HAVE TO BE VERY COGNIZANT OF THE
FACT THAT WE NEED TO MAKE BETTER
DECISIONS. IT DOESN'T MAKE IT
MEAN IT'S EASY. NO. DECISION
THAT IS GOING TO HELP ALLEVIATE
SOME OF THE PAIN THAT WAS
REFERRED REFERRED TO HERE IS
GOING TO BE EASY BECAUSE IT'S
GOING TO MAKE SOME PEOPLE MAD.
BUT YOU CAN'T YOU CAN'T HAVE AN
ABSENCE OF TENSION. THAT'S WHERE
THAT TENSION COMES. WHEN WE HAVE
TO START MAKING OUR CHOICES NOW,
I'LL JUST END BY BECAUSE WHEN I
WAS SITTING HERE LISTENING TO
EVERYBODY TALKING ABOUT, YOU
KNOW, DECISIONS THAT WE MADE.
AND OF COURSE, UM, WITH WITH
WITH MY MANDELA SAID. THE
POVERTY IS NOT NATURAL. IT IS
ABSOLUTELY IT'S MANMADE, AND IT
COULD BE OVERCOME AND ERADICATED%
BY THE ACTIONS OF HUMAN BEINGS,
AND I THINK THAT WE CAN DO IT.
THE QUESTION IS WHETHER WE HAVE
THE WILL TO DO IT. AND WHETHER
AND SOME SOME OF YOU REFERRED TO
US HAVING THE POWER AND YOU HAVE
THE POWER. WHERE YOUR VOICES AND
WHERE YOUR CONDUIT BUT WE
COLLECTIVELY HAVE TO BE ABLE TO
MAKE IT VERY CLEAR THAT THIS IS
WHAT MATTERS TO US. AND SEE IT
THROUGH. AND I BELIEVE THAT OF
COURSE IT'S POSSIBLE, BUT IT'S
NOT MEANT TO BE EASY. AND SO I'M
JUST VERY GRATEFUL TO HEAR FROM
ALL OF YOU AND THIS COALITION. I
THINK THIS IS INCREDIBLY
IMPORTANT CONVERSATION THAT IS
GOING TO LEAD TO POLICY AND
BUDGET ACTION. AS I KNOW THAT
THERE ARE ENOUGH OF US HERE THAT
CARE ENOUGH ABOUT IT THAT WE ARE
GOING TO CONTINUE TO PUSH
ALONGSIDE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF
YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, KARA.
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S BARRICADE ANY
QUESTIONS, COMMENTS OR THOUGHTS
FROM THE COMMITTEE? WELL I WANT
TO START BY THANKING THE CHAIR
FIRST FOR CONVENING THIS MEETING
WHEN I FIRST STARTED IN THE
LEGISLATURE, AND ACTUALLY THE
CHAIR WAS NOT YET HERE WAS ABOUT
FOUR YEARS AGO, WE DID A MEETING
WITH THE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS AND
DECIDED WHAT OUR TOP PRIORITY
WAS. AND I THOUGHT TÌM THERE.
PROBABLY ABOUT 55 OF US. HOW ARE
WE EVER GOING TO COME UP WITH
ONE PARTY AND IT ACTUALLY WAS
REALLY EASY, VERY QUICKLY CAME
TO INCOME INEQUALITY AS OUR
NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IS A
DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS BECAUSE WE
FOUND IT WAS THE ROOT OF ALMOST
EVERY OTHER THING WE THOUGHT WAS
PLAYING IN OUR COMMUNITY BEING
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE,
EDUCATIONAL INEQUITIES, THE
CURSORY SYSTEM THAT IT ALL STEMS
BACK TO THIS ECONOMIC INEQUALITY
THAT IS SO PREVALENT HERE IN
THESE STATISTICS, RIGHT 189
BILLIONAIRES AND YET WE HAVE
MORE THAN 10% OF CALIFORNIA.
CHILDREN'S FACING HUNGER LIKE
HOW ARE THOSE TWO THINGS LIVING
COEXISTING IN OUR STATE? IT'S
NOT RIGHT. AND YET I HAVE TO SAY
THAT IN MY FOUR YEARS SINCE I
WAS IN THAT MEETING, AND WE WITH
SUCH CLARITY CHOSE INCOME
INEQUALITY AS OUR TOP PRIORITY.
WE HAVEN'T DONE THE WORK AND I
THINK WE NEED TO OWN THAT. WE
HAVEN'T DONE WHAT IT'S GOING TO
TAKE TO ACTUALLY MAKE A
DIFFERENCE, TOO. CHANGE SOME OF
THESE GROSS STATISTICS AND THE
LIVES THAT THEY STAND FOR, RIGHT
. THE CHILDREN WHO GO TO BED
HUNGRY EVERY NIGHT BECAUSE WE'RE
NOT DOING ENOUGH. THE FAMILIES
WHO ARE AFRAID THEY WON'T HAVE A
ROOF OVER THEIR HEAD AND THEN
END UP WITH WITHOUT A ROOF OVER
THEIR HEAD LIVING ON OUR
STREETS. OUR FOSTER YOUTH WHO
LEAVE THE SYSTEM AND ARE LEFT
BEHIND. I MEAN, WE ARE FAILING
SO MANY CALIFORNIANS AND THE
CLARITY THAT EACH OF YOUR VOICE
BRINGS TO THIS CONVERSATION IS
SO IMPORTANT. AND SO MOST
IMPORTANTLY, I WANT TO SAY TO
YOU THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR
BEING HERE. THANK YOU FOR
TELLING US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE
. THANK YOU TO THE PARTNER
ORGANIZATIONS THAT WERE IN PIANO
ONE FOR WORKING DAY IN AND DAY
OUT ON THESE PROBLEMS. EACH ONE
OF US IS PRIVILEGED TO BE
SITTING IN THESE POSITIONS OF
POWER. TO MAKE THE DECISIONS
THAT WILL IMPACT CALIFORNIANS
AND LISTENING TO YOU AND KNOWING
WHAT YOU NEED IS REALLY CRITICAL
AS A MEMBER OF THE WOMEN'S
CAUCUS, I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT
OUT TO THE MANY WOMEN SITTING
HERE TODAY, CALIFORNIA
CALIFORNIA ISN'T TREATING OUR
WOMEN FAIRLY. WE TALK EVERY DAY
ABOUT CHILDCARE WORKERS AND HOW
LITTLE WE PAY THEM BECAUSE THAT
IS ON THE BACKS OF WOMEN AND
PREDOMINANTLY WOMEN OF COLOR
HERE IN CALIFORNIA, AND WE DON'T
PAY A LIVING WAGE. THE SAME IS
TRUE OF OUR CARE ECONOMY, THE
CAREGIVERS WHO ARE TAKING CARE
OF OUR SENIORS PAID A LIVING
WAGE. IN MANY OF THOSE ARE WOMEN
, AND SO REALLY THE CHAIR, I
THINK HERE IS UPLIFTING SUCH
CRITICAL COMMUNITIES THAT NEED A
VOICE IN THESE BUILDINGS IN THIS
BUILDING, AND AS MY COLLEAGUE
SAID, OFTEN DON'T HAVE AN EQUAL
VOICE. BUT IT IS TIME THAT WE
GIVE VOICE TO THESE MANY
PROBLEMS. WE START TO SOLVE IT.
WE DO SOMETHING. FOR THIS LITTLE
BOY WHO IS SO CUTE, BUT I AGREE
WITH YOU. WE SHOULD BE SCREAMING
. UM SO, UH, I'M TRYING TO BE
POLITE, BUT I HEAR YOU. UM SO,
SO THANK YOU. ALL I KNOW IT'S
NOT EASY TO TELL YOUR STORIES. I
KNOW THAT IT TAKES BRAVERY. IT
TAKES TIME. YOU GAVE UP A DAY OF
YOUR LIVES TO BE HERE, BUT IT
REALLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE, AND I
THINK IT GIVES US THE FOCUS TO
GO DO THE WORK IN THE DAYS TO
COME WITH THE INCREDIBLE SURPLUS
WE HAVE, AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN
MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR EVERY ONE
OF YOU BECAUSE YOU DESERVE IT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S, UM YEAH. GIVE
IT GIVE IT A SNAPS. UM, AND ALSO
GOOD MORNING, MY MAN. AH! THIS
HAS BEEN A VERY POWERFUL DAY. I
THINK IN SACRAMENTO AND IT'S
POWERFUL BECAUSE YOU WERE ALL
HERE. THIS IS NOT LIKE ANY
COMMITTEE I HAVE EVER SAT ON AS
AN ELECTED OFFICIAL. IT'S NOT
LIKE ANY COMMITTEE I HAD EVER
ATTENDED AS AN EXPERT WITNESS,
OR JUST SOMEBODY IN THE
AUDIENCE. THIS IS THE PEOPLE'S
HOUSE. THIS IS THE PEOPLE'S
HEARING ROOM. THIS IS THE
PEOPLE'S BUILDING. THAT MEANS
ALL PEOPLE, UH FROM INFANCY TO
ADULTHOOD. AND SO THANK YOU.
THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING. THANK
YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. YOU GAVE
US A LOT OF MARCHING ORDERS. AND
I CAN TELL YOU FROM THE MEMBERS
OF THIS SELECT COMMITTEE. PEOPLE
ARE TAKING THOSE MARCHING ORDERS
VERY, VERY SERIOUSLY. THERE'S A
LOT OF WORK TO DO, BUT I'VE GOT
SOME MARCHING ORDERS FOR YOU AS
WELL AS WE ARE JOINED BY
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S RAISE OUR
MAJORITY LEADER. I'VE GOT SOME
MARCHING ORDERS FOR YOU AS WELL.
DON'T LET TODAY BE THE ONLY TIME
YOU'RE IN THIS BUILDING. SHOW
UP. WHEN YOU HAVE A BILL WORTH
FIGHTING FOR CALL IN BECAUSE IT
MAKES ALL OF THE DIFFERENCE. WE
ARE ACTUALLY NOT THE POWERFUL
ONES. WE ARE THE VOICES AND THE
CONDUITS FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
CALLING FOR CHANGE, AND THAT IS
ALL OF YOU. AND SO I HOPE TODAY
THAT YOU HAVE FELT HEARD AND
SEEN, BECAUSE THAT IS OUR JOB,
BUT EVEN MORE SO THAN THAT. I
HOPE YOU KNOW THAT YOU'VE
INSPIRED US TO DO ACTION WHEN WE
HAVE THE NEXT ASSEMBLY SELECT
COMMITTEE ON POVERTY AND
ECONOMIC INCLUSION. WE'RE GOING
TO TALK ABOUT THE PROBLEMS
BECAUSE WE WON'T SOLVE THEM ALL
BEFORE THEN BECAUSE WE GOT TO
MEET AGAIN, RIGHT FAMILY. BUT
WE'LL HAVE SOME PROGRESS IN THAT
PROGRESS OR THE VICTORIES THAT
WE SHOULD ALSO CELEBRATE. SO
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
AND WITH THAT, THE FIRST HEARING
OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON
POVERTY AND INCOME INEQUALITY IS
ALMOST ADJOURNED. I'M ACTUALLY
GONNA GIVE THE FINAL WORD. TO A
DEAR FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE WHO
REPRESENTS A PART OF THE STATE
THAT WE DIDN'T SEE FROM ANY OF
OUR COLLEAGUES COMING IN AND OUT
TODAY AND THAT'S THE INLAND
EMPIRE. AND SO WITH THAT I WANT
TO GIVE THE FINAL WORD. T
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S. REYES GÓMEZ
RAISE. THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND
I'M GLAD I CAME IN AS YOU WERE
SHARING THAT THIS SHOULD NOT BE
THE LAST TIME YOU'RE HERE.
SHOULD BE ONE OF MANY TIMES THAT
YOU ARE HERE. IT'S IT GIVES ME
GREAT PRIDE WHEN I WALK IN AND I
SEE MY COMMUNITY HERE. OUR
COMMUNITY HERE MAKES A BIG
DIFFERENCE. YOUR VOICE IS
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. AND EVEN IF
YOU CAN'T COME UP, DO CALL US.
CENTER. SEND EMAILS. SEND
LETTERS BECAUSE I WILL TELL YOU
THAT FOR ME PERSONALLY WHENEVER
THERE IS A BILL IF I KNOW THAT
THERE IS SOMEBODY FROM MY
COMMUNITY THAT HAS WRITTEN A
LETTER. THOSE ALWAYS GO TO THE
TOP BECAUSE MY STAFF KNOWS THAT
THOSE ARE THE ONES I REALLY WANT
TO READ. THOSE ARE THE ONES I
WANT TO READ. NOT NECESSARILY
THE ONES THAT COME FROM SOMEBODY
THAT WAS PAID TO WRITE THE
MESSAGE. BUT SOMEBODY WHO FELT
IT IN THEIR HEART. TO GIVE US A
MESSAGE. WE LISTEN, WE LISTEN.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU AND I
WANT TO THANK OUR CHAIR FOR
CONVENING THIS. THIS WAS
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. I'M SORRY.
I MISSED SO MUCH OF IT, BUT I
KNOW HE'S GOING TO GIVE ME AN
UPDATE. I LOOK FORWARD TO THE
NEXT SELECT COMMITTEE. THANK YOU
. AND THANK YOU FOR COMING.
MADAM MAJORITY LEADER. SHE'S ONE
OF THE BUSIEST PEOPLE IN THE
BUILDING. YEAH. SO THANK YOU FOR
COMING IN WITH THAT THIS MEETING
IS ADJOURNED.
WE SAW THEM.
BROTHER.