GOOD AFTERNOON, AND WELCOME TO
OUR ASSEMBLY BUDGET SUBCOMMITTEE
FIVE HEARING. TODAY MARKS OUR
LAST SUB COMMITTEE HEARING AND
WILL PROVIDE ONE FINAL
OPPORTUNITY FOR MEMBERS TO
PROVIDE INPUT, MAKE COMMENTS OR
ASK QUESTIONS ON THE 2024 STATE
BUDGET. SINCE THE GOVERNOR
RELEASED HIS INITIAL BUDGET THIS
PAST JANUARY. THIS SUBCOMMITTEE
HELD TEN SUBCOMMITTEE HEARINGS,
WITH AN ADDITIONAL THREE
OVERSIGHT HEARINGS AND
COLLABORATION WITH SUBCOMMITTEE
SEVEN FOR A TOTAL OF 13
HEARINGS. SOME OF YOU HAVE BEEN
WITH US THE ENTIRE TIME. THANK
YOU. OUR HEARINGS HAVE COVERED
EVERY ASPECT OF STATE
GOVERNMENT, FROM HOUSING AND
HOMELESSNESS, TAXATION, CONSUMER
PROTECTION, BROADBAND
PROCUREMENT, INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY, AG, AND MUCH MORE. I
WANT TO THANK MEMBERS OF OUR
SUBCOMMITTEE, ASSEMBLY
SUBCOMMITTEE, ASSEMBLY MEMBER,
WARD, ASSEMBLY MEMBER PATTERSON
FOR THEIR CONTINUED FEEDBACK
BACK THROUGHOUT THESE
PROCEEDINGS. I ALSO WANT TO
THANK ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS
HAVE THAT HAVE PRESENTED IN
FRONT OF US, INCLUDING THE LÀ, Þ
AND DOF. WE KNOW THAT THIS IS
AGONIZING FOR ALL WHO HAVE
WORKED WITH THESE LINE ITEMS TO
TRY TO GET TO A PLACE THAT WE
CAN PRESENT A BUDGET. BUT, IN
ADDITION, YOUR FEEDBACK HAS BEEN
VERY VALUABLE. AND WITHOUT THAT,
WE WILL MAKE OTHER COMMENTS. BUT
LET'S GO AHEAD AND SEE IF WE
HAVE ASSEMBLY MEMBER WARD OR ANY
OF OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS WHO
WOULD LIKE TO MAKE COMMENTS
BEFORE A LATER TIME. RIGHT?
YEAH, YEAH, THERE WILL BE OTHER
TIMES. OKAY WE HAVE INVITED
TODAY ALL MEMBERS OF THE
ASSEMBLY HAVE BEEN INVITED TO
ATTEND THIS HEARING. AND THEY
ARE ALSO ALLOWED AND ABLE TO ASK
ANY QUESTIONS. I CAN SEE A NEW
FRIEND HERE. ASSEMBLY MEMBER
PAPPIN. WELCOME, AND WE MAY IN
FACT HAVE OTHER MEMBERS COMING
IN AND OUT TO ACCOMMODATE THE
WIDE RANGE OF POTENTIAL TOPICS
THAT MAY BE COVERED. PANELISTS
ARE TESTIFYING BOTH IN PERSON
AND REMOTELY VIA WEBEX. TODAY'S
AGENDA ALSO INCLUDES A SUMMARY
OF SOME OF THE KEY TOPICS
COVERED THROUGHOUT OUR HEARINGS
IN JANUARY, AND WE WILL FIRST
TAKE QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS FROM
MEMBERS. WE WILL THEN OPEN THE
ROOM FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. PUBLIC
COMMENT IS LIMITED TO 30S FOR
EACH PERSON TESTIFYING, AND WILL
BE TAKEN IN PERSON IF YOU ARE
UNABLE TO ATTEND THIS HEARING IN
PERSON, YOU MAY SUBMIT YOUR
COMMENTS VIA EMAIL TO ASME
BUDGET AT ASMAKA DOT GOV. WITH
THAT, LET'S DO THE ROLL CALL
ASSEMBLYMEMBERS QUIRK-SILVA HERE
. ASSEMBLY MEMBER PATTERSON
HERE. ASSEMBLY MEMBER WARD HERE.
ALL RIGHT. SO THIS WOULD BE THE
TIME IF YOU ARE ON THE DAIS AND
YOU'D LIKE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS
OR MAKE COMMENTS, AND YOU CAN DO
THIS AS WE MOVE ALONG, OTHERWISE
WE ARE GOING TO OPEN THIS UP, TO
THE PUBLIC FOR ANY COMMENTS. ALL
RIGHT. SO WE WILL INVITE THE
PUBLIC UP FOR ANY COMMENTS THAT
YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ON ANY OF
THE TOPICS UNDER BUDGET SUB
FIVE. AS YOU COME UP, REMEMBER
THAT THAT, IT IS 30S COMMENT,
WHEN YOU ARE USING THE
MICROPHONE, YOU CAN MOVE THE
MICROPHONE UP AND DOWN, AND
SPEAK CLOSELY INTO THE
MICROPHONE. WELCOME. THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING. CHAIR. MEMBERS OF
THE COMMITTEE I'M JANICE FOSTER
DOWNS, REPRESENTING THE
CALIFORNIA ASIAN CHAMBER, WE
STRONGLY OPPOSE THE 50% CUT TO
THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
PROGRAM, THE COLLISION CHAMBER
MANAGES THREE MINORITY BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT AGENCY CENTERS, WITH
TWO ADDITIONAL CENTERS BEING IN
SAN JOSE AND LOS ANGELES, WHICH
IS A TOTAL OF FIVE, WHICH SERVES
OVER 2000 SMALL AND
DISADVANTAGED BUSINESSES. THESE
CUTS WOULD REALLY GO TO THE
HEART OF THE SUPPORT FOR THESE
BUSINESSES. HANG ON. I'M NOT
SURE IF YOUR MIC IS COMPLETELY
ON. OKAY OR SCOOT UP A LITTLE
AND LET'S TRY IT AGAIN. YOU WANT
ME TO START FROM THE TOP? YES.
ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING I'M
JANICE FOSTER DOWNS WITH THE
CALIFORNIA ASIAN CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE REPRESENTING THE
754,000 AAPI OWNED BUSINESSES
THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF THE
CALIFORNIA ASIAN CHAMBER,
STRONGLY OPPOSES THE 50% CUT TO
THE SMALL BUSINESS TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. WE MANAGE.
FIVE EXCUSE ME, THREE MINORITY
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AGENCY
CENTERS, WITH TWO BEING IN WITH
TWO ADDITIONAL CENTERS BEING IN
IN LOS ANGELES AND SAN JOSE,
WHICH IS A TOTAL OF FIVE
CENTERS. WE HAVE A RURAL
PROGRAM. WE HAVE OUR BUSINESS
CENTER, WE HAVE A TECHNICAL,
ASSISTANCE AND CAPITAL PROGRAM.
AND THIS SERVES OVER 2000 SMALL
AND DISADVANTAGED BUSINESSES.
AND THIS THESE CUTS REALLY GO TO
FOR THESE BUSINESSES AND WOULD
SEVERELY AND DISPROPORTIONATELY
IMPACT, SMALL MINORITY AND WOMEN
OWNED BUSINESSES. SO WE ASK THAT
YOU, OPPOSE THESE PROPOSED CUTS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD
AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR AND
MEMBERS, LARA CAMARA,
REPRESENTING THE NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN BUSINESS
OWNERS, CALIFORNIA CHAPTER,
REPRESENTING THE 1.4 MILLION
WOMEN BUSINESS OWNERS, MANY AND
MOST OF WHOM HAVE BENEFITED BY
THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
PROGRAM, TO START THEIR
BUSINESS. TO GET THEIR BUSINESS
UP AND RUNNING AND IN LINE. SO
WE ARE OPPOSED TO THAT 50% CUT,
THOSE FUNDS ARE SO DESPERATELY
NEEDED FOR THE SMALL BUSINESSES
COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. GOOD
AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS SUE LEE.
ALEX I AM THE DIRECTOR OF
SACRAMENTO VALLEY SMALL BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT CENTER. MY PROGRAM
SERVES FOUR COUNTIES SACRAMENTO,
YOLO, YUBA, AND SUTTER. 95% OF
THE THREE COUNTIES THAT I SERVE,
YOLO, YUBA, AND SUTTER IS STILL
CONSIDERED RURAL. AND THE TAP
FUNDING HAS BEEN HAS ALLOWED US
TO HOST OFFICE HOURS IN THOSE
COUNTIES, AS WELL AS TO BRING
ABOUT ONE ON ONE TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE AND ADVISING TO THE
COMMUNITY THAT NEEDS THE
ASSISTANCE THE MOST IN 20. LAST
YEAR, WE HELPED 79 ENTREPRENEURS
START THEIR BUSINESS IN OUR
REGION, AND BEING ABLE TO DO
THAT IS, IS, IS FUNDAMENTAL. AND
IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO THOSE
ENTREPRENEURS, ESPECIALLY THOSE
WHO ARE UNDERSERVED, THAT WOULD
BENEFIT FROM OUR PROGRAM. SO I
URGE YOU TO NOT CUT THE TAP
FUNDING BY 50. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. AND, IF YOU CAN JUST HANG
ON ONE, ONE SECOND HERE, WE DO
HAVE A MEMBER WHO HAS JOINED US
COMING FROM ANOTHER
SUBCOMMITTEE. SO JUST TO SET THE
STAGE THERE ARE, I BELIEVE,
THREE OTHER SUBCOMMITTEES,
HAPPENING AT THIS MOMENT. AND
MEMBERS WILL BE GOING FROM,
COMMITTEE TO COMMITTEE. SO I'M
GOING TO OFFER THE OPPORTUNITY
FOR ASSEMBLY MEMBER ALEX LEE TO
MAKE SOME COMMENTS AND, AGAIN,
ANYBODY CAN INTERJECT ON THE
DAIS AND WE'LL GO BACK AND FORTH
. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, AND I
APOLOGIZE TO THE PUBLIC. I'LL
MAKE IT VERY BRIEF. WE'RE
CONDUCTING ANOTHER BUDGET
HEARING SIMULTANEOUSLY. I
BELIEVE, OF COURSE, THAT I
SUPPORT THE CHAIR IN THIS
COMMITTEE AND PRESERVING AS MUCH
MONEY FOR HOUSING AND
HOMELESSNESS AS POSSIBLE. THIS
IS A TOP CONCERN OF ALL
CALIFORNIANS RIGHT NOW. WE NEED
TO BE DOUBLING DOWN OUR EFFORTS
TO PRODUCE MORE HOUSING. AND AT
THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE SO MANY
TOUGH CHOICES TO MAKE IN THIS
BUDGET CYCLE THAT, SOME OF THEM
TO BALANCE THE BOOKS IS GOING TO
BE DIFFICULT. WE'RE IN SUB TWO
RIGHT NOW. TALK ABOUT HOW TO
PRESERVE PROGRAMS FOR THE
POOREST OF THE POOR,
CALIFORNIANS AND EVEN THOUGH, AS
, AS EVEN THOUGH AS, AS
REPRESENTATIVE FOR ONE OF THE
DISTRICTS WITH THE MOST
MANUFACTURING, WITH THE MOST.
ARE WE GOOD NOW? OKAY, I THINK
WE'RE OKAY. SO WITH THE MOST
MANUFACTURING JOBS, I STILL
BELIEVE AND I UNDERSTAND THERE'S
A PUSH TO REJECT THE GOVERNOR'S
NET OPERATING LOSS AND THE
LIMITS ON R&D, BUT I STILL
BELIEVE THAT THESE ARE COMMON
SENSE MEASURES, BECAUSE THE
GOVERNOR HAS PUT IN THE TRIGGER
MECHANISM THAT IT SHOULD THE
SHOULD THE ECONOMY BENEFIT OR
SHOULD THE ECONOMY IMPROVE IN
TIME THAT THESE THINGS HAVE
REPEALED? I THINK IS A VERY
COMMON SENSE MEASURE, ESPECIALLY
AS WE TRY TO STABILIZE OUR
ECONOMY RIGHT NOW AND FOCUS ON
THE POOREST OF THE POOR
CALIFORNIANS. AND AT THE SAME
TIME, YOU KNOW, OUR OUR A LOT OF
OUR TAX EXPENDITURES AND TAX
BENEFITS HAVE GONE UNSCRUTINIZED
FOR A LONG TIME. AND WE HAVE TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS IS
SOCIALIZED RESEARCH ON PUBLIC
TAXPAYER DIME. AND WE OUGHT TO
LOOK BACK AND SAY, IS THIS
WORKING JUST AS WE DO WITH EVERY
OTHER EXPENDITURE IN THE BUDGET,
TO SAY, IS THIS WORKING FOR THE
PUBLIC BENEFIT? SO IN FUTURE
HEARINGS AND FUTURE TIME, WE
SHOULD PROBABLY TAKE A DEEPER
DIVE AND SAY, IS THIS MERITING
THE SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURIAL,
COMMERCIAL AND BIOLOGICAL AND
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCHES? A BENEFIT
THAT WE HAD HOPED FOR? AND SO I
SUPPORT A LOT OF THE WORK OF
THIS CHAIR, AND I REALLY
APPRECIATE BEING INVITED TO
HERE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. DID
YOU YOU KNOW. THANK YOU, MADAM
CHAIR. I MAY WANT TO ASK THE
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE A COUPLE
QUESTIONS, SO I'LL WAIT UNTIL
PUBLIC COMMENT. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. WELCOME. THANK YOU. GOOD
AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR AND
COMMITTEE. I'M TIM MERRILL. I'M
THE WITH THE SMALL BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT CENTER, COVERING,
SOLANO AND NAPA COUNTIES AND I
STRONGLY URGE YOU TO NOT ALLOW
THE 50% CUT ON TAP FUNDING THAT
ALLOWS US TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE. AND OUR TWO COUNTIES
ALONE, WE SERVE OVER 2000 SMALL
BUSINESSES JUST SO FAR THIS
YEAR, WE'VE HELPED 32 NEW
BUSINESSES GET STARTED. WE
CREATED 125 NEW JOBS. ALL THAT
CREATE TAX REVENUE, SO WE WANT
TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THAT AND
NOT TURN DOWN THOSE
ENTREPRENEURS WHO ARE COMING TO
US FOR THE VALUABLE TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE THAT WE PROVIDE. SO
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD. THANK
YOU. HELLO, I'M KRISTEN JOHNSON.
I'M REPRESENTING CAL POLY
HUMBOLDT, I AM INVOLVED WITH THE
SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
CENTER PROGRAM, AS WELL AS THE
VIDAK AND THE APEX ACCELERATOR.
WE STRONGLY URGE YOU TO NOT TAKE
THE 50% CUT TO THE TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, THE
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM HAS
CHANGED LIVES. IT CREATES
LEGACY, IT CREATES CHEN NATIONAL
WEALTH. AND I'VE SEEN THAT
FIRSTHAND. WE SERVE THE, SOME OF
THE POOREST PEOPLE IN THE STATE.
ALL 58 COUNTIES HAVE ACCESS TO
OUR SERVICES. AND WE'VE CREATED
A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT, THROUGH
JOB CREATION AS WELL AS TAX
REVENUE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU,
KIM LEWIS, REPRESENTING THE
CALIFORNIA COALITION FOR YOUTH
AND ASPIRANT. AND JUST WANT TO
ELEVATE OUR DISAPPOINTMENT THAT
THE MAY REVISE FAILED TO INCLUDE
ADDITIONAL ROUND SIX FOR HAP
FUNDING. WE KNOW IT HAS Ã SET
ASIDE FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS OF AT
LEAST 10. AND WITHOUT RESOURCES,
WE WILL CONTINUE TO IGNORE OUR
MOST VISIBLE, INVISIBLE
POPULATION EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS. OUR YOUNG PEOPLE,
WHICH IS DISPROPORTIONATELY
BIPOC AND LGBTQ PLUS YOUNG
PEOPLE. AND SO ASK FOR YOU TO
CONTINUE SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING
FOR HAP AND ENSURE OUR YOUNG
PEOPLE AND THAT WE CAN HAVE
TRANSITIONAL HOUSING BEING BUILT
FOR THEM AS WELL, AND REJECT THE
CUTS TO THE HOUSING NAVIGATION
MAINTENANCE PROGRAM. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, HONORABLE CHAIR AND
COMMITTEE MEMBERS NICOLE DELUCA
HERE ON BEHALF OF A HANDFUL OF
CITIES SUCH AS OAKLAND,
BERKELEY, SAN LEANDRO, SAN
GABRIEL, VALLEY, COG, RESPECTIVE
, WE REQUEST THAT THE PROPOSED
CUTS TO THE REAP PROGRAM DO NOT
MOVE FORWARD. AS A PREVIOUS
SPEAKER SAID, AND ANY NO CUTS TO
THE HAP ROUND SIX PROGRAM.
APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT
YOU'RE DOING. SO THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. JULIE BAKER,
CALIFORNIA ARTS ADVOCATES AND
OPPOSITION TO THE
DISPROPORTIONATE CUTS TO ARTS
FUNDING. IN TOTAL, 58%
CALIFORNIA ARTS COUNCIL FUNDING
IS BELOW THE 2000 FUNDING LEVEL,
WHILE THE GENERAL FUND IS MORE
THAN DOUBLED. MORE THAN 50% OF
GRANT APPLICATIONS WERE REJECTED
LAST CYCLE DUE TO LIMITED
FUNDING. CSC IS ALREADY IN A CUT
POSITION AND SHOULD BE SPARED
AND SHOULD THIS CUT GO THROUGH,
CALIFORNIA WILL BE 45TH IN THE
UNITED STATES FOR ARTS FUNDING
FOR THE $12.5 MILLION EQUITABLE
PAYROLL FUND. THESE FUNDS ARE
LEFT OVER FROM COVID RELIEF IN
ORDER TO HELP THE NONPROFIT LIVE
EVENTS INDUSTRY RECOVER AND
SUSTAIN. WE ARE DEEPLY CONCERNED
THAT THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA IS
SENDING A SIGNAL TO COMMUNITIES
AND TO OUR YOUTH THAT CREATIVITY
DOESN'T MATTER IN AN AGE WHERE
WE ARE TRYING TO FIGHT BACK THE
IMPACT OF AI AND CONTINUED
AUTOMATION, THIS IS NOT THE TIME
TO DISINVEST IN CREATIVITY.
PLEASE RESTORE THESE PROPOSED
FUNDING CUTS. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MEMBER DEAN
GRAFILO WITH CAPITAL ADVOCACY
HERE ON BEHALF OF CASE. CASE OF
THE UNION THAT REPRESENTS THE
THOUSANDS OF ATTORNEYS,
ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGES AND
HEARING HEARING OFFICERS ACROSS
THE STATE HERE TO COMMENT ON TWO
ITEMS. FIRSTLY CASES IN
OPPOSITION OF THE
ADMINISTRATION, ADMINISTRATION
PROPOSAL TO ELIMINATE TELEWORK
STIPENDS AS THE COMMITTEE'S
ANALYSIS POINTS OUT, THE
LEGISLATURE HAS RARELY MODIFIED
OR INTERFERED WITH AGREED UPON
LABOR AGREEMENTS. FURTHER CASE
APPRECIATES THIS SUBCOMMITTEE'S
CONCERNS EXPRESSED DURING THE
MAY 16TH HEARING. THE PROPOSED
TRAILER BILL WOULD EFFECTIVELY
OVERRIDE SIDE LETTER AGREEMENTS
NEGOTIATED BETWEEN THE
ADMINISTRATION AND THE 17
BARGAINING UNITS RECEIVING
TELEWORK STIPENDS. IN
PARTICULAR, BARGAINING UNIT TWO,
WHICH IS THE CASE MEMBERSHIP
THE SECOND ITEM CASES IN
OPPOSITION TO THE NOTED IN THE
ANALYSIS CASE, APPRECIATES THIS
SUBCOMMITTEE'S EXPRESSING
CONCERNS WITH THE PROPOSAL AS IT
RELATES TO STATE DEPARTMENTS WHO
ALREADY HAVE A HIGH VACANCY RATE
AND HISTORICALLY HAD ISSUES WITH
STAFF RECRUITMENT, HIRING AND
RETENTION. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY
THE SITUATION FOR JOB
CLASSIFICATIONS, FOR CASE
MEMBERSHIP. FOR THESE REASONS,
WE ASK YOU TO REJECT THIS
PROPOSAL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS ANN
BROWN. I'M THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF THE AUBURN SYMPHONY.
I LIVE AND WORK IN AUBURN, WHICH
IS IN JOE PATTERSON'S DISTRICT.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, I ALSO
RAISED MY VOICE, IN SUPPORT OF
THE ARTS, THE CUT, THE CUTS TO
BOTH THE CALIFORNIA ARTS COUNCIL
AND SB 1116 ARE VERY IMPACTFUL
FOR US, AS AUBURN SYMPHONY, WE
PARTICIPATED IN A NATIONAL STUDY
CALLED THE ARTS AND ECONOMIC
IMPACT STUDY PROVING THE
ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT THE ARTS
HAS IN OUR COMMUNITIES WHERE WE
LIVE AND WORK. IT'S VITAL TO THE
HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITIES.
PLEASE SUPPORT THE ARTS. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME
IS CLAUDIA VIDAK: AND I'M THE
STATE ADVOCATE REPRESENTING 21
WOMEN'S BUSINESS CENTERS
THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA AND I'M
HERE TO BEG YOU TO NOT TO,
ACCEPT THE CUTS TO THE TAP
PROGRAM. THAT PROGRAM IS MORE OF
AN INVESTMENT PROGRAM THAN A
GRANT PROGRAM, AND IT LEVERAGES
ANOTHER 35 MILLION IN FEDERAL
FUNDING AND ONE EXAMPLE IS AND
PARTICULARLY FROM ORANGE COUNTY,
WE'VE HAD TREMENDOUS SUCCESS IN
STIMULATING AND GROWING NEW
CHILD CARE BUSINESSES. THE LOSS
OF THIS FUND WILL BASICALLY
EVISCERATE THAT PROGRAM, WHICH
CREATED 3700 NEW SLOTS OF CHILD
CARE LAST YEAR. SO I HOPE YOU
CAN CONSIDER OPPOSING THOSE CUTS
. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD
AFTERNOON, CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE, DAVID NELSON HERE
REPRESENTING THE NATIONAL SMALL
BUSINESS ADVOCACY COUNCIL. GREAT
TO SEE YOU AGAIN. THANK YOU FOR
TAKING UP THIS ISSUE LAST YEAR.
THE TAP NETWORK SUPPORTED $2.3
BILLION IN TAXABLE SALES GROWTH
TO THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
THAT'S OBVIOUSLY A NET POSITIVE
TO THE STATE, AND, CHAIR,
QUIRK-SILVA DISTRICT 1317 OF
YOUR CONSTITUENTS WERE SERVED BY
OUR NETWORK MEMBER AWARD 2658
AND MEMBER PATTERSON, 1211
CONSTITUENTS WERE ACTIVELY
SERVED IN GROWING THE ECONOMY IN
ALL OF YOUR DISTRICTS. AND WE
ASK THAT YOU OPPOSE THESE CUTS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD
AFTERNOON TO THE CHAIR AND
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. MY
NAME IS LOUIS BROWN. I'M WITH
THE CORPORATION FOR SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING HERE TO STRONGLY
ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONSIDER
INVESTING AT LEAST $1 BILLION IN
HAMP. WE KNOW THE GOVERNOR'S
PROPOSED BUDGET DID NOT INCLUDE
ANY NEW FUNDING FOR HARP. ROUND
SIX, HARP HAS BEEN A CRITICAL
TOOL FOR LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND
THEIR FIGHT TO ADDRESS
HOMELESSNESS. GRANTEES HAVE USED
HARP TO CREATE OVER 15,000
SHELTER BEDS, PROVIDE TENS OF
THOUSANDS OF RENTAL AND HOUSING
SUBSIDIES, AND PROVIDE
INNUMERABLE SERVICES TO HELP
PEOPLE, OBTAIN AND SUSTAIN
HOUSING, WITHOUT NEW FUNDING.
WE'VE HEARD FROM COX, FROM
MAYORS AND FROM COUNTIES, THAT
PROGRESS WILL COME TO A HALT.
AND SO WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU
TO INVEST ADDITIONAL FUNDING IN
ROUND SIX OF HARP. WE ALSO LIKE
TO SAY THAT, PROP ONE IS NOT A
SUBSTITUTE FOR HARP FOR A LOSS
OF HARP FUNDING. AND WE ALSO
LIKE TO ENCOURAGE THE COMMITTEE,
AS YOU ARE LOOKING TO PRESERVE
PROGRAMS, THINK ABOUT OTHER
AREAS WHERE THERE COULD BE CUTS.
LÀ. LÀ HAS INDICATED THAT THE
FIVE PRISONS, ADDITIONAL FIVE
PRISONS COULD BE CLOSED AND
THERE'S SIGNIFICANT FUNDING
POTENTIALLY THERE. THANK YOU,
THANK YOU. HI MY NAME IS TONY
SIMONS, AND I'M HERE
REPRESENTING THE AMERICAN INDIAN
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF
CALIFORNIA, THE CHAMBER
REPRESENTS TRIBES, TRIBAL
ENTERPRISES AND AMERICAN INDIAN,
ALASKA NATIVE AND HAWAIIAN
NATIVE ENTREPRENEURS ACROSS THE
STATE. WE RESPECTFULLY OPPOSE
THE $13 MILLION CUT TO THE SMALL
BUSINESS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
PROGRAM. WE OPERATE THE NATIVE
AMERICAN APEX ACCELERATOR. IT'S
BEEN VERY VALUABLE. WE THINK THE
OVERALL PROGRAM HAS ONE OF THE
FEW STATEWIDE WORKING NETWORKS
THAT DOES ALL 58 COUNTIES, AS
WELL AS SERVING WITH TRUSTED
PARTNERS LIKE OUR ORGANIZATION
TO REACH OUT. THE SECOND ITEM
IS, IS THAT THERE ARE PROPOSED
CUTS TO THE CALIFORNIA FIRST
PROGRAM, AND WE RESPECTFULLY ASK
THAT YOU RETAIN, IF CUTS ARE
MADE, THAT YOU RETAIN THE TRIBAL
SET ASIDE, MONEY HAS GONE OUT TO
THE REGIONS FOR PLANNING GRANTS.
THEY'VE GONE OUT FOR PILOT
GRANTS. THEY'VE GONE OUT FOR
PREDEVELOPMENT GRANTS. THE
TRIBAL COMMUNITIES HAVE WAITED
PATIENTLY, AND WE RESPECTFULLY
ASK THAT THE LEGISLATURE PROTECT
THE TRIBAL SET-ASIDE WITHIN THE
CALIFORNIA JOBS FIRST
INITIATIVE. THANK YOU. GOOD
AFTERNOON. BRUCE TINSLEY,
PRESIDENT AND CEO, ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT COLLABORATIVE, AMONG
OTHER PROGRAMS. WE SERVE AS THE
HOST FOR THE SMALL BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT CENTER OF VENTURA,
SANTA BARBARA, AND ALSO INTO LÀ
COUNTIES HERE TO OPPOSE THE CUTS
AS PROPOSED TO THE SMALL
BUSINESS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
PROGRAM. JUST TO ADD TWO
COMMENTS TO THAT ONE, PLEASE
UNDERSTAND THIS IS ALL DIRECT
SERVICE MONEY THAT LEVERAGES
FEDERAL DOLLARS AND ALLOWS US TO
REALLY EXPAND OUR PROGRAM TO.
THIS PROGRAM WAS REALLY LAUNCHED
COMING THROUGH THE VARIOUS
DISASTERS, COVID, ETC. AND HAS
ALLOWED US TO EXPAND OUR PROGRAM
IN OUR REGION ALONE TO SOME 2500
FIRMS EVERY YEAR. THIS CUT WOULD
CUT THAT NUMBER TO BY A THIRD.
AT LEAST THAT'S AN ENORMOUS
IMPACT. WE BEG YOU TO SUPPORT
THE CONTINUING INVESTMENT IN
THIS PROGRAM. THANK YOU. SIMONE.
TAREK LEE WITH JOHN BURTON
ADVOCATES FOR YOUTH. I'M HERE ON
BEHALF OF A COALITION OF MORE
THAN 100 PUBLIC AGENCIES AND
ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE
REQUESTING THAT YOU REJECT THE
GOVERNOR'S PROPOSED ELIMINATION
OF THE $13.7 MILLION HOUSING
NAVIGATION AND MAINTENANCE
PROGRAM. THIS IS A SMALL STATE
INVESTMENT THAT HELPS OUR STATE
LEVERAGE ACCESS $22.6 MILLION OF
FEDERAL HOUSING VOUCHERS FOR
YOUTH LEAVING THE FOSTER CARE
SYSTEM. LOSING THE STATE FUNDING
WOULD REVERSE SIGNIFICANT
PROGRESS TO DATE. AND I ALSO
JUST WANT TO SAY I APPRECIATE
THE SUBCOMMITTEE, VOCAL OPINIONS
ON THIS PROGRAM TO DATE AND THE
ASSEMBLY AS A WHOLE, SUPPORT OF
THIS PROGRAM CONSISTENTLY. AND
LASTLY, WE ARE ALSO A MEMBER OF
THE BRING CALIFORNIA HOME
COALITION. JOHN BURTON ADVOCATES
FOR YOUTH IS AND WE SUPPORT
PRIORITIZING HAP IN THE BUDGET.
IT HAS MADE PROGRESS FOR YOUNG
PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT SYSTEMS
INVOLVED. AND WE ALSO NEED
FUNDING TO CREATE THAT SAFETY
NET. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON
EVERYONE. MY NAME IS KATIE ROBB.
I'M WITH A COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATION CALLED MUTUAL
ASSISTANCE NETWORK. WE FOCUS ON
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
SPECIFICALLY FOR THE NORTH
SACRAMENTO COMMUNITIES. FOR MANY
OF YOU KNOW, NORTH SACRAMENTO IS
LESS THAN FIVE MILES AWAY FROM
THIS BUILDING AS WE SPEAK. AND
I'M HERE TO URGE YOU TO FULLY
FUND REAP FOR THIS BUDGET YEAR.
FUNDS FROM THIS REAP PROGRAM
HAVE ALREADY BEEN ALLOCATED FOR
SEWER PROJECTS FOR NORTH
SACRAMENTO. SO WE KNOW THAT THE
GOAL FOR REAP IS TO PROVIDE
ADDITIONAL HOUSING UNITS. BUT
FOR A COMMUNITY LIKE NORTH
SACRAMENTO THAT HAS BEEN
HISTORICALLY DISINVESTED, OUR
INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS SEVERE
IMPROVEMENT BEFORE WE CAN EVEN
BEGIN TO GET DEVELOPERS OUT
THERE AND GET THE HOUSING UNITS
DEVELOPED. SO I URGE YOU TO KEEP
INTO THE BUDGET THIS YEAR. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. HELLO AND GOOD
AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS STEPHEN
WALTON. I'M A LOCAL REALTOR AND
BUT I STAND BEFORE YOU AS A
NORTH SAC RESIDENT, ADVOCATING
TO KEEP REAP FUNDING IN THE
BUDGET AS WELL, MY FAMILY IS
FROM THE AREA OF NORTH
SACRAMENTO AND IN THE AREA WHERE
THE REAP FUNDING. WE WOULD
BENEFIT FROM THE REAP FUNDING
AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE REPAIRS.
WE HAVEN'T SEEN PROPER
DEVELOPMENT IN OVER 30 PLUS
YEARS, SO IT'S MANDATORY THAT WE
GET THESE FUNDS. IT'S GOING TO
HELP US TO DEVELOP THE HOUSING
THAT WE DESPERATELY NEED FOR THE
AREA AND HELP TO REVITALIZE THIS
SPECIAL CORRIDOR, JUST NOT FAR
FROM HERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
HELLO. THANK YOU FOR INVITING US
TO SPEAK. I HAVE A STUTTER, SO
PLEASE BEAR WITH ME. MY NAME IS
AMANDA SANCHEZ, AND I'M HERE TO
OPPOSE THE $10 MILLION BUDGET
CUT TO THE CALIFORNIA ARTS
COUNCIL AS THE CO-DIRECTOR OF
CAPITAL CREATIVE ALLIANCE, A
SMALL ARTS NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATION THAT SUPPORTS
CREATIVE PROFESSIONALS IN THE
SACRAMENTO REGION, WE RELY ON
THE CALIFORNIA ARTS COUNCIL TO
NOT ONLY SUPPORT OUR PROGRAMING,
BUT TO ALSO TO PAY OUR STAFF,
LIKE ME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
HI, JUSTIN GARRETT WITH THE
CALIFORNIA STATE ASSOCIATION OF
COUNTIES, HERE TO REITERATE OUR
CONTINUED OPPOSITION TO THE $260
MILLION CUT TO HAP THAT'S
PROPOSED, AS WELL AS OUR SUPPORT
FOR ONGOING HAP FUNDING. I
REALLY WANT TO THANK THE CHAIR
AND THE SUBCOMMITTEE FOR YOUR
LEADERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE.
UNDERSTANDING THE CRITICAL
IMPORTANCE OF THIS FUNDING TO
LOCAL HOMELESSNESS EFFORTS AND
THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS THAT WOULD
OCCUR SHOULD IT END. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. I'M CHAIR MEMBERS.
BEVERLY YOU ON BEHALF OF TOYOTA
MOTOR NORTH AMERICA THAT
PROVIDES LENDING SERVICES AS A
AUTO CAPTIVE FINANCIAL COMPANY.
WE ARE IN RESPECTFUL OPPOSITION
TO THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL TO
ELIMINATE THE BAD DEBT DEDUCTION
AND WE URGE THE SUBCOMMITTEE TO
ADOPT AN ALTERNATIVE DEFERRAL
PROPOSAL THAT OFFERS A MORE
BALANCED APPROACH. THE BAD DEBT
DEDUCTION IS CRUCIAL FOR
ENSURING TAX FAIRNESS BY
ALLOWING RETAILERS AND LENDERS
TO CLAIM REFUNDS OR DEDUCTIONS
FOR SALES TAX ON FINANCE SALES,
WHERE CUSTOMERS DEFAULT ON
PAYMENTS. THIS DEDUCTION ENSURES
TAXES ARE LEVIED ONLY ON THE
ACTUAL AMOUNT PAID. RECOGNIZE
THE CHALLENGING BUDGET YEAR
AHEAD OF US AND YOUR APPRECIATE
YOUR EFFORTS TO ADDRESS THIS
SHORTFALL. IN RESPONSE, WE
PROPOSE DEFERRING BAD DEBT
DEDUCTIONS AND REFUNDS UNTIL THE
STATE FISCAL HEALTH IMPROVES
WITH A TRIGGER, AS SEEN IN OTHER
BUDGET PROVISIONS, THE PROPOSAL
HERE FULLY DEFERS ALL REFUND
CLAIMS THAT WERE FILED BEFORE
JANUARY 1ST, 2024, IMMEDIATELY
STOPS ALL DEDUCTIONS ON RETURNS
STARTING JANUARY 1ST, 2025. THIS
ALTERNATIVE PROPOSAL PROVIDES
IMMEDIATE SAVINGS TO THE STATE
AND SUBSTANTIAL POSITIVE
REVENUES. THIS ALSO ADDRESSES
THE THREE YEAR BACKLOG OF REFUND
CLAIMS THAT DEPARTMENT FINANCE
IS FACING. WE LOOK FORWARD TO
WORKING WITH YOUR COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU.
GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR AND
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, PREET
AHLUWALIA, ON THE BEHALF OF
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA SMALL
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER, WE
STRONGLY OPPOSE THE GOVERNOR'S
PROPOSED 50% CUT TO THE SMALL
BUSINESS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
PROGRAM. THIS CUT COULD LEAD TO
A 75% REDUCTION IN SERVICES FOR
THE MOST UNDERSERVED AND RURAL
COMMUNITIES, AND IN SOME CASES,
STOP ALL SERVICES, JUST TO SHARE
SOME OF THE STATS FOR OUR
SUCCESS WITH OUR BUSINESSES IN
THESE SERVICES, WE'VE BEEN ABLE
TO ASSIST THE BUSINESSES FOR
AROUND $1.3 BILLION IN SALES
GROWTH AND OVER 1.6 BILLION IN
SECURING LOAN AND EQUITY, FOR
THEIR CAPITAL AND ALSO ASSISTED
IN NEW BUSINESSES STARTING FOR
ABOUT 3000, SMALL BUSINESSES. WE
STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO
RECONSIDER THESE CUTS AND STAND
WITH THE SMALL BUSINESSES OF
CALIFORNIA. THANK YOU. HELLO
THERE. MY NAME IS RICHARD FALCON
. I AM HERE REPRESENTING. YOU
CAN PULL THE MIC ALL THE WAY UP.
THERE YOU GO. PULL IT UP THERE.
THAT BETTER. THANK YOU. RICHARD
FALCON, I AM HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT
THE PROPOSED CUTTING OF THE
$12.5 MILLION PERFORMING ARTS
EQUITABLE PAYROLL FUND BUDGET AS
A OWNER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
OF THEATER, WHICH IS A LATINO
BASED PERFORMING ARTS COMPANY
HERE IN SACRAMENTO, THIS WOULD
DECIMATE A LOT OF THE PROGRESS
WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE AS A
RESULT OF ALL THE IMPACT THAT WE
THAT WE SAW AS AS A PERFORMING
ARTS ORGANIZATION IN TRYING TO
KEEP US GOING FORWARD.
ADDITIONALLY, I ALSO AM HERE TO
ALSO ENCOURAGE YOU TO PLEASE, DO
NOT DO THE $10 MILLION OF CUTS
TO THE CALIFORNIA ARTS COUNCIL.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT AS A CITY
EMPLOYEE, RIGHT NOW, I AM
ADMINISTERING THE GRANT
OPPORTUNITY THROUGH THE CAPITAL
REGION CREATIVE CORE FOR SENATE
BILL 628. AND I CAN TELL YOU
THAT THOSE DOLLARS HAVE BEEN
SUPER IMPACTFUL AS WELL AS THE
WORK FOR THE CALIFORNIA ARTS
COUNCIL TO PUT HUNDREDS OF
ARTISTS BACK TO WORK, BRINGING
FORWARD MESSAGING ON CROSS
SECTOR ISSUES THAT IMPACT THE
ENTIRE STATE. IF NOT FOR THE
WORK OF THE CALIFORNIA ARTS
COUNCIL. IF NOT FOR SENATE BILL
628, WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO
BRING FORWARD MUCH OF THESE
NEEDED ARTISTS, KEEP THEM
EMPLOYED, AND HELP TO REACH
THOSE QUARTILE ONE COMMUNITIES
WHO ARE THE ONES WHO DESPERATELY
NEED TO HEAR THE MESSAGES OF
WHAT IS NEEDED IN THEIR
COMMUNITIES AND THE ARTS, DOES
THAT. I CONSIDER MYSELF A SECOND
RESPONDER. I WAS THE ONE THAT
WAS HERE PROVIDING HOPE ALONG
WITH MY ARTIST PEOPLE. DURING
COVID, WE ARE THE ONES YOU CAME
TO FOR YOUR MUSIC, FOR YOUR
ARTS, FOR YOUR ZOOM THINGS IN
THERE TO KEEP YOU MOVING
FORWARD. I ASK YOU, DO NOT
REDUCE THE PROGRESS THAT HAS
BEEN MADE IN THE ARTS. DO NOT
REDUCE THE CALIFORNIA ARTS
COUNCIL AND DO NOT REDUCE THE
FUNDING FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS.
EQUITABLE PAYROLL FUND. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. JUST REMINDING
EVERYBODY 30S IF YOU SEE ME DO
THIS, IT MEANS WE'RE GOING TO
START TO WRAP IT UP. SOUNDS
GOOD. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES. HI,
MY NAME IS AMBER DEBOER. I'M A
RESIDENT ARTIST AT THE CITY OF
SACRAMENTO. I'M A CALIFORNIA
CREATIVE CORE ARTIST. I AM
EMPLOYED BY THAT OPPORTUNITY.
I'M HERE TO OPPOSE THE 10
MILLION CUTS TO THE CALIFORNIA
ARTS COUNCIL. I'M PERSONALLY
EMPLOYED BY THAT FUNDING, AND I
ALSO KNOW HUNDREDS, IF NOT
THOUSANDS OF OTHER ARTISTS
ACROSS LOCAL REGIONS ACROSS THE
STATE THAT WILL BE IMPACTED BY
THOSE BUDGET CUTS, ARTISTS HAVE
DONE A LOT OF THE CULTURAL
HEALING, A LOT OF THE CULTURAL
WORK, AND ALSO A LOT OF ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT. I'M A PART OF THE
OFFICE OF INNOVATION AND
ECONOMIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
EXCUSE ME, WHERE I'M STATIONED
AT THE CITY OF SACRAMENTO, AND
I'VE SEEN THE MASSIVE AMOUNT OF
IMPACTS ARTISTS HAVE HAD IN THE
LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, AND OUR
CULTURES AND OUR COMMUNITIES,
AND IN THOSE QUARTILE ONE
COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY
SPECIFICALLY WHERE I'VE BEEN
ASKED TO WORK AND WE CAN'T GO
WITHOUT THIS, I WOULD ARGUE THAT
IT WILL PUT CALIFORNIA BEHIND IN
THE FUTURE TO NOT FUND ARTISTS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HELLO,
MARISSA BROWN, ON BEHALF OF THE
CITY OF CITRUS HEIGHTS, THE
SUNRISE TOMORROW SPECIFIC PLAN,
WHICH IS A RECIPIENT OF REAP
FUNDING, WOULD BUILD 2200
TRANSIT ORIENTED, MIXED USE
HOUSING FOR OUR COMMUNITY. THE
CITY OF CITRUS HEIGHTS DOES
REQUEST THAT YOU REJECT THESE
FUNDING CUTS. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. HELLO, I'M ANNA YOUNG. I'M
THE DIRECTOR OF THE SONOMA SBDC.
AND I'M HERE TO SAY THAT SBDCS
ARE A CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR
FOR EVERYTHING FROM THE TAQUERIA
TO THE TECH STARTUP. MY
COLLEAGUE ALREADY SHARED THE
STATISTICS. THEY'RE PHENOMENAL,
THAT BEING SAID, EQUITY IS
REALLY HARD TO GAIN. WE CAN ALL
LOOK AROUND THE ROOM HERE AND
SEE THE DIVERSITY AND ASK
OURSELVES, WHAT'S IMPORTANT
ABOUT BUILDING AN EQUITABLE
SOCIETY. AND THAT'S REALLY
WHAT'S AT STAKE HERE, IF YOU,
IF, SO EQUITY IS HARD TO GAIN,
BUT EASILY WON THROUGH
ENTREPRENEURSHIP. IT JUST IS.
IT'S A GAME CHANGER AND IT'S A
LEVELER OF THE PLAYING FIELD.
AND IT'S FOR EVERYONE. AND SBDC
ARE A CRITICAL PART OF THAT. IF
YOU DO NOT OPPOSE THE PROPOSED
BUDGET CUTS, THE COST WILL BE
TOO HIGH FOR CALIFORNIA. SO I'M
SIMPLY HERE TO ASK YOU TO
CONSIDER AND ASK YOURSELVES WHAT
IS THE COST OF DOING NOTHING?
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, GOOD
AFTERNOON, CHAIR QUIRK-SILVA AND
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, MY
NAME IS SCOTT ROGOWSKY, AND ON
BEHALF OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
SBDC, COVERING 36 COUNTIES, MOST
OF THEM ARE RURAL, AND TENS OF
THOUSANDS OF BUSINESSES THAT WE
SERVE, 50% BEING WOMEN AND BIPOC
OWNED. WE STRONGLY OPPOSE 50%
CUTS TO SMALL BUSINESS TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. TAP IS A
CORE SERVICE AND SAFETY NET FOR
SMALL BUSINESSES TO HELP THEM
LAUNCH, CREATE JOBS, AND ACCESS
MONEY TO BUILD CAPACITY. WITHOUT
SBDC TAP FUNDING, THESE
BUSINESSES WILL NOT GROW. GET
ACCESS TO THE RESOURCES AND
GUIDANCE THEY NEED, AND POSSIBLY
CLOSE THEIR DOORS. WE URGE YOU
TO PRESERVE THE CORE SERVICES OF
THE SMALL BUSINESS. TAP AND
REJECT THESE PROPOSED CUTS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MADAM
CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS OSCAR
GARCIA. I'M A SENIOR VICE
PRESIDENT OF THE CALIFORNIA
HISPANIC CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE.
AND ON BEHALF OF THOSE 100
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF SMALL
BUSINESSES COMPRISED OF SMALL
MINORITIES, ASIAN AFRICAN
AMERICANS, WE IMPLORE YOU, WE
JUST NOT ASK. WE IMPLORE YOU TO
NOT CUT THE FUNDING AND THE
REASON WHY BECAUSE THIS
BUSINESSES IS THE IS THEIR LIFE.
AND WE THE NETWORK OF SBDCS. WE
WERE THE FIRST RESPONDERS WHEN
COVID HIT. THESE BUSINESSES. WE
WERE ABLE TO HELP THEM AND SAVE
THEIR BUSINESSES. NOW CUTTING
THE FUNDING IS GOING TO MEAN
THAT THEY MIGHT GO REVERT TO
COVID 19 STATUS. MIND YOU, SMALL
BUSINESSES ARE STIMULATE THE
LOCAL ECONOMY. JUST THOSE ARE
YOUR CONSTITUENTS. THOSE ARE THE
BUSINESSES AND YOUR LOCAL
COMMUNITY, REGIONAL AND THE
STATEWIDE. SO WE ASK THAT YOU
PLEASE RECONSIDER CUTTING THIS
FUNDING AND KEEP US THE FULL
FUNDING TO SUPPORT THIS
BUSINESSES. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. BEFORE WE GO TO OUR NEXT
SPEAKER, I AM GOING TO, CAN WE
FIND OUT HOW MANY PEOPLE WE HAVE
OUTSIDE? 15. SO I'M GOING TO
OPEN IT UP. IF YOU WANT TO MAKE
COMMENTS NOW AND ASK YOUR
QUESTION. THAT WAY WE CAN GET
THAT IN. AND SO THOSE WHO ARE
WAITING IN LINE, WE PROMISE YOU
WE'LL ALL GET A CHANCE. GO
AHEAD. THANK YOU. MADAM CHAIR.
AND, DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE
COMING FORWARD. I WON'T BE TOO
TERRIBLY LONG, I PROMISE. SO I'M
GOING TO GIVE A STATEMENT, AND
THEN I'LL HAVE A QUESTION
FOLLOWING THE STATEMENT. GOOD
MORNING. I MEAN, GOOD AFTERNOON.
WHERE ARE WE? ROOM FOR. OKAY, SO
AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, I COME
FROM SAN MATEO COUNTY, AND, I'M
HERE TO REQUEST SUPPORT FOR SAN
MATEO COUNTIES IN VEHICLE IN
LIEU FEE. COMING BACK TO THE
COUNTY, IT IS NOT AN
INSIGNIFICANT SUM. IT IS $72
MILLION AND COMPRISES 18% OF THE
COUNTY'S BUDGET THAT I COME FROM
EVERY OTHER COUNTY IN THE STATE
GETS THEIR VLF MONEY BACK. MY
COUNTY, EXCUSE ME AND TWO OTHER
COUNTIES ALPINE AND MONO, ALSO
DON'T GET THEIRS, AND I GUESS MY
CONCERN IS THAT MY COUNTY GETS
SINGLED OUT AND, THEY DON'T GET,
OR IT DOES NOT LOOK LIKE AT THIS
MOMENT IN TIME THAT THIS MONEY
WILL BE LINE ITEM IN THE BUDGET
OR PROVIDED IN THE BUDGET IN ANY
WAY, SHAPE OR FORM, AND IT IS,
AS I SAID, NOT AN IMMATERIAL
SUM. AND WITHOUT IT, PUBLIC
SAFETY, HEALTH, HOUSING AND
OTHER CRITICAL SERVICES WILL BE
AT RISK. IN MY COUNTY, AND IT
WOULD BE CONTRARY TO THE 2004
BUDGET COMPROMISE IN WHICH THESE
PAYMENTS WERE GUARANTEED BY LAW
IN EXCHANGE FOR SUBSTANTIAL
FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS BY LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS. FAILURE TO PROVIDE
THE FULL PAYMENT WOULD BE
DEVASTATING TO THE LOCAL BUDGETS
IN MY COMMUNITY AND SERVICES
THAT DEPEND ON THESE FUNDS, SO
WITH THAT, I GUESS MY QUESTION
TO YOU AND THANK YOU FOR BEING
HERE, AND THANK YOU FOR TAKING
MY QUESTION, DEALS WITH HOW OR
WHEN. WHAT IS THE LEGAL BASIS BY
WHICH THREE COUNTIES DON'T GET
THE SAME TREATMENT AS OTHER
COUNTIES? AND THIS IS NOT ARE
YOU PROVIDED FOR IN THE BUDGET
KIND OF STUFF? THIS IS EVERYBODY
ELSE GETS IT BUT FOR THREE
COUNTIES. SO THANK YOU. AND IF
YOU WOULD INDULGE ME GOOD
AFTERNOON CHRIS HILL THE
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE. THIS HAS
ITS ROOTS BACK IN 2004 WHEN THIS
WHOLE MECHANISM WAS SET UP,
WHEN, EACH COUNTY HAS AN
EDUCATIONAL REVENUE AUGMENTATION
FUND AND CITIES, COUNTIES AND
SPECIAL DISTRICTS PAY PROPERTY
TAX INTO THAT. THAT GOES TO THE
SCHOOLS. ONE IMPORTANT THING TO
BEAR IN MIND IS THAT ERAF CANNOT
GO TO BASIC AID SCHOOLS, WHICH
ARE FUNDED TO THE REVENUE
LIMITS. THE LOCAL CONTROL
FUNDING FORMULA LIMITS WITH
PROPERTY TAX, SO THAT PROPERTY
TAX AT THE BASIC AID SCHOOLS
CANNOT ABSORB GOES BACK TO THE
CITIES AND THE COUNTIES AND THE
SPECIAL DISTRICTS WHO DONATED
IT. JUST SO YOU KNOW, I'M AWARE
OF ALL THIS. I'M AWARE OF THE
CALCULATIONS OF MACHINATIONS.
AND SO WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO IS,
IS THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE
UNDERSTANDS IT. THESE CITIES AND
COUNTIES WHO ARE IMPACTED ARE
BEING FULLY BACKFILLED FOR THEIR
VEHICLE LICENSE FEE LOSS,
REVENUE LOSSES. WHAT THEY'RE NOT
BEING BACKFILLED FOR IS THE FACT
THAT THE EXCESS ERAF THAT THE
BASIC AID SCHOOLS CANNOT ABSORB
WHEN THAT SPILLS BACK TO THE
CITIES IN THE COUNTIES, IT DOES
NOT COUNT AS AN OFFSET TO THEIR
VEHICLE LICENSE FEE REVENUE
BACKFILL. THEY'RE OWED INSTEAD.
NOR SHOULD IT BE. BUT K¾T. BUT
THE STATUTES THAT WERE DRAFTED
DID NOT, DID NOT ENCOMPASS THAT.
SO, THIS IS NOT A STATUTORILY
REQUIRED PAYMENT. AND IN
CONSEQUENCE OF THAT FACT, THE
ADMINISTRATION, IN VIEW OF THE
OVERALL BUDGET SITUATION, DOES
NOT BELIEVE THIS DISCRETIONARY
EXPENDITURE, SOMETHING THAT WAS
ABSORBABLE WITHIN OUR SPENDING
PLAN. SO THE ADMINISTRATION WAS
NOT PROPOSING TO FUND THIS. SO
EVEN THOUGH YOU PROVIDE IT TO
EVERY OTHER COUNTY, BUT FOR
THREE YOU'RE CLASSIFYING THIS AS
DISCRETIONARY SPENDING AS IT
RELATES TO MY COUNTY. AND THESE
ARE FUNDAMENTAL PAYMENTS THAT GO
TO EVERY COUNTY. EVERY OTHER
COUNTY IS NOT FUNDED BY THE
STATE FOR THIS. EVERY OTHER
COUNTY IS FUNDED BY PROPERTY TAX
REVENUE, THE PROPERTY TAX
REVENUE FOR EVERY OTHER COUNTY
AND CITY IN THE STATE IS
SUFFICIENT TO PAY FOR THE
VEHICLE LICENSE FEE SWAP, BUT IN
THIS CASE, THE WAY THE FORMULAS
WORK OUT IS THAT, AGAIN, THE
EXCESS ERAF THAT THE SCHOOLS
CANNOT ABSORB THAT DOES NOT
COUNT TO OFFSET THE VEHICLE
LICENSE FEE REVENUE FOR THE
CITIES AND FOR THE COUNTIES. SO
THE COUNTY AUDITOR CONTROLLER
TAKES PROPERTY TAX FROM THE
SCHOOLS, BUT THERE ARE NOT
ENOUGH NON-BASIC EIGHT SCHOOLS
IN THE COUNTIES FROM WHICH TO
TAKE THEM. I'M WELL AWARE OF
THAT. SO? SO AS A CONSEQUENCE,
WHAT YOU'RE TELLING MY COUNTY IS
YOU PAY THE YOU PAY THE PROPERTY
TAX, BUT WE AIN'T GOING TO GIVE
IT BACK TO YOU. NO. THE ROOT OF
THE MATTER IS FINANCE
UNDERSTANDS IT. THE CITIES AND
THE COUNTIES ARE BEING FULLY
BACKFILLED FOR THEIR LOST
VEHICLE LICENSE FEE, REVENUE.
WHAT THEY'RE NOT BEING
BACKFILLED FOR IS THE FACT THAT
THE EXCESS ERAF THAT THEY WOULD
OTHERWISE BE ABLE TO TAKE A LIKE
AMOUNT OF FROM THE NON BASIC AID
SCHOOLS, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH OF
IT. AND SO THAT'S WHY THEY HAVE
TO COME TO THE STATE WITH A
REQUEST FOR A BUDGET
AUGMENTATION. BUT I MEAN AS WE
UNDERSTAND IT AGAIN JUST WANT TO
REEMPHASIZE THIS THAT AS WE
UNDERSTAND IT, THE CITIES AND
THE COUNTIES ARE BEING FULLY
BACKFILLED FOR EVERY DOLLAR OF
LOST VEHICLE LICENSE FEE REVENUE
, NOT MY COUNTY. AND WE'VE, AND
WE'D BE HAPPY TO ENGAGE IN
FURTHER CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM.
AND WE HAVE ASKED THEM FOR
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AS WELL.
AND, IF THEY SHARE ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION THAT PROVES THAT OUR
, OUR BELIEF IS MIS FOUNDED,
WE'D CERTAINLY THAT'D BE
CERTAINLY ADDITIONAL, GRIST FOR
CONVERSATION AND FOR
CONSIDERATION. BUT WE HAVEN'T
SEEN THAT TO THIS POINT. SO THE
COUNTY IS ENTITLED TO THEIR
PROPERTY TAXES. CAN WE CAN WE
ADMIT TO THAT? OH, YES. THEY ARE
ENTITLED TO BE FULLY BACKFILLED
FOR THEIR LOSS OF VEHICLE
LICENSE FEE REVENUE, THE
ADMINISTRATION, NOT THROUGH
PROPERTY TAXES. WE UNDERSTAND
THAT'S WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS
THE ROAD, RIGHT. AND WE
UNDERSTAND THAT THEY ARE BEING
BACKFILL FOR THE LOST VEHICLE
LICENSE FEE REVENUE. IT'S JUST
THAT THAT EXCESS ERAF THAT THE
BASIC EIGHT SCHOOLS CAN'T ABSORB
IS COUNTING TOWARDS BACKFILLING
THAT LOST VEHICLE LICENSE FEE
REVENUE. AND NORMALLY WHAT THEY
WOULD DO IS THE COUNTY AUDITOR
CONTROLLER WOULD TAKE A LIKE
AMOUNT FROM THE NON-BASIC EIGHT
SCHOOLS AND GIVE IT TO THE
CITIES AND THE COUNTIES AS AN
AUGMENTATION TO. SO BUT THERE
ARE NOT ENOUGH NON-BASIC EIGHT
SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTY TO DO
THAT. AS A CONSEQUENCE, BECAUSE
YOU CAN'T TAKE PROPERTY TAX
REVENUE FROM NON-BASIC EIGHT
SCHOOLS OR FROM BASIC EIGHT
SCHOOLS. EXCUSE ME, FROM BASIC
EIGHT SCHOOLS. AND BECAUSE THERE
ARE SO MANY BASIC EIGHT SCHOOLS,
BUT AGAIN, THE MONEY FROM THE
ERAF AND FROM THE NON BASIC AID
SCHOOLS IS FINANCED, UNDERSTANDS
IS ENOUGH TO PAY FOR EVERY
DOLLAR OF LOST VEHICLE LICENSE
FEE REVENUE. ALL RIGHT. I I
APPRECIATE THIS CONVERSATION.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I'VE BEEN
AROUND SO LONG THAT WAY BACK IN
2012, ORANGE COUNTY DID HAVE A
SIMILAR ISSUE. SO IT IS VERY
COMPLEX. BUT I'M GLAD YOU'RE
ABLE TO, MADAM CHAIR, TO GET
YOUR ANSWERS HERE. AND THANK YOU
FOR SHARING ABOUT THAT. BUT I
THANK YOU FOR THE TIME AT LEAST
A CONVERSATION. SO WITH THAT, WE
HAVE ABOUT 30, INDIVIDUALS THAT
WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THEIR
ITEMS. PLEASE COME UP. I'LL
JUST, AGAIN, IF YOU SEE ME DOING
THIS, IT MEANS YOU GOT TO WRAP
UP 30S OR LESS AND MOVE THE
MICROPHONE UP OR DOWN. WELCOME.
GREAT. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
AND THANK YOU. MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE, I KNOW, YOU KNOW, I
APPRECIATE ALL THE SERVICE THAT
YOU YOU DO FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. AND
YOUR TASK IS, IS A VERY
DIFFICULT ONE. MY NAME IS LES
FONG. I'M DIRECTOR OF THE SMALL
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER FOR
SAN JOAQUIN. AMADOR CALAVERAS
AND ALPINE COUNTY. SO IT'S, VERY
, SMALL, SMALL COUNTIES, AND I'M
ASKING YOU, ACTUALLY PLEADING
WITH YOU, PLEASE DO NOT CUT OUR
BUDGET. WE SERVE THE MOST
UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES AND
EVERY DOLLAR THAT YOU PUT INTO
US, I MEAN, IT'S VERY EFFICIENT
USE OF YOUR MONEY BECAUSE WE
ONLY PAY OUR ADVISORS FOR WORK
THAT THEY ACTUALLY DO AND THE
WORK THAT WE DO, DO, AND PRIME
EXAMPLE IS WE'RE DOING, MINORITY
BUSINESS CERTIFICATION JUST IN
THE LAST THREE MONTHS UTILIZING
OUR TAP FUNDING, WE GOT 44
BUSINESSES CERTIFIED AS EITHER
SMALL, MINORITY, WOMEN OWNED,
SBA DATA. AND THAT'S TURNING
INTO TO ACTUAL JOBS. SO I PLEAD
WITH YOU, PLEASE DO NOT CUT OUR
BUDGET. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR AND
MEMBERS, ALLISON RAMEY HERE
TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE
METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION
COMMISSION, MTC AND ABAG OPPOSE
THE PROPOSED REAP AND HARP CUTS,
AS WELL AS THE ELIMINATION OF
THE MULTIFAMILY HOUSING PROGRAM
AND FORECLOSURE INTERVENTION
PREVENTION PROGRAM. OUR REAP
GRANT WILL BUILD UP TO 1600
APARTMENTS, AFFORDABLE TO LOW
INCOME HOUSEHOLDS. IT WILL ALSO
PAY FOR BAY AREA WIDE TRANSIT
IMPROVEMENTS ESTIMATED TO
INCREASE RIDERSHIP BY 30,000 A
DAY, FINALLY, WE WANT TO
APPRECIATE AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE
COMMITTEE ANALYSIS HIGHLIGHTING
THE WIDESPREAD SUPPORT FOR
MAINTAINING FUNDING FOR REAP AND
MGCP ON PAGE EIGHT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON,
MCKINLEY THOMPSON. MORLEY, ON
BEHALF OF THE CITY OF
SACRAMENTO, WE URGE THE
LEGISLATURE TO MAINTAIN THE 600
MILLION IN FUNDING FOR REAP 2.0.
THIS PROGRAM IS CRITICAL TO
SACRAMENTO COUNTY'S GREEN MEANS
GO PROGRAM, WHICH ACCELERATES
INFILL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AND
MAKES DESPERATELY NEEDED UPDATES
TO CITY INFRASTRUCTURE. IT'S
VITAL TO A MORE SUSTAINABLE,
RESILIENT AND INCLUSIVE FUTURE,
AND WE URGE YOU TO PROTECT THIS
CRITICAL INVESTMENT. THANKS.
OKAY GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS
MICHELLE HILL AND NEUFFER. I AM
A BOARD MEMBER OF THE SACRAMENTO
ALLIANCE FOR REGIONAL ARTS AND
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF NORCAL
SCHOOL OF THE ARTS, AND I JUST
WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PAST
FUNDING FOR THE ARTS, WHICH WAS
SO CRITICAL AFTER THE PANDEMIC,
AND ASK THAT YOU RECONSIDER
CUTTING FUNDS TO THE CALIFORNIA
ARTS COUNCIL. THE ARTS AND
CULTURE SECTOR IS A HUGE
CONTRIBUTOR TO CALIFORNIA'S
CREATIVE ECONOMY AND THE
CALIFORNIA ARTS COUNCIL ELEVATES
THE SECTOR IN OUR STATE. I'D
ALSO ASK THAT YOU NOT CUT THE
EQUITABLE, EQUITABLE PAYROLL
FUND AS IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO
SMALLER NONPROFIT ARTS
ORGANIZATIONS LIKE MYSELF WHO
EMPLOY ARTISTS AND TEACHING
ARTISTS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
YOUR CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU.
GOOD AFTERNOON, JENNIFER ROWE,
ON BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA
STATEWIDE LAW ENFORCEMENT
ASSOCIATION, STATE BARGAINING
UNIT SEVEN AND UNION FOR OVER
7000 PUBLIC SAFETY PROFESSIONALS
IN THE STATE, WE WANTED TO BRING
TO THE COMMITTEE'S ATTENTION AN
ISSUE BEFORE THE LEGISLATURE
THAT WE BELIEVE IS BEST LEFT UP
TO THIS COMMITTEE'S JURISDICTION
TO BE SCRUTINIZED BECAUSE OF THE
BUDGET IMPLICATIONS THAT BUT
MORE THAN THAT, THE ISSUE IS
BEST LEFT AT THE COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING PROCESS. AB 2872
WOULD CREATE A PARITY FORMULA
BETWEEN THE CDI INVESTIGATORS
AND SPECIAL AGENTS AT DOJ.
FIRST, WE OPPOSE LINKING THE TWO
TOGETHER AND BELIEVE IT WILL
ACTUALLY HAVE A DETRIMENTAL
IMPACT ON BOTH. SECOND, WE
BELIEVE THAT THESE TWO
CLASSIFICATIONS SHOULD BE
BARGAINED SEPARATELY. LASTLY, TO
OUR KNOWLEDGE, THE DOI HAS NOT
SUBMITTED A BCP TO THIS
COMMITTEE, SO WE'RE PERPLEXED
HOW THIS PROPOSAL WOULD ACTUALLY
BE FUNDED. WHILE WE FULLY
SUPPORT THE DOI INVESTIGATORS IS
GETTING MORE IN WAGES, THE
PARITY FORMULA IS A NONSTARTER
FOR US AND THIS ISSUE SHOULD
IDEALLY BE BARGAINED. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MEMBERS.
AMY BROWN, ON BEHALF OF THE CITY
OF WEST SACRAMENTO, ALSO OPPOSED
TO THE REAP 2.0 PROPOSED CUTS BY
THE GOVERNOR. NOT GOING TO
REPEAT WHAT THE REPRESENTATIVE
FROM THE CITY OF SACRAMENTO HAS
SAID. BUT I WILL SAY IN WEST SAC
IN PARTICULAR, WE HAVE ALREADY
MATCHED ABOUT 4 MILLION IN GREEN
MEANS GO FUNDING WITH 1 MILLION
OF CITY FUNDS, WITH TWO CRITICAL
PROJECTS THAT ARE READY TO GO.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD
AFTERNOON. KIRK BLACKBURN HERE
ON BEHALF OF THE SAN DIEGO
ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS, OR
SANDAG, SANDAG REMAINS DEEPLY
CONCERNED WITH THE PROPOSED CUTS
TO REAP 2.0, AS DOING SO WILL
ONLY EXACERBATE THE STATE'S
HOUSING AND CLIMATE CRISES.
SANDAG HAS ALREADY AWARDED OVER
$12 MILLION AND REAP 2.0 FUNDING
TO LOCAL JURISDICTIONS FOR 15
HOUSING PROJECTS, BOTH FOR
PLANNING AND CAPITAL, AND IT
PLAN TO ADDITIONALLY USE REAP
FUNDS FOR VARIOUS OTHER HOUSING
PROGRAMS, INCLUDING TO
COLLABORATE WITH TRIBES AND TO
PROVIDE OVER 600 HOMES TO
DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES IN
SOUTH COUNTY. ALL SAID SANDAG
HAD PLANNED TO USE THESE REAP
FUNDS TO LEVERAGE OVER $22
MILLION IN NON STATE FUNDING, SO
STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THE
LEGISLATURE TO REJECT THE
PROPOSED CUTS. THANK YOU THANK
YOU. COULD YOU ASK ANYBODY ELSE
WHO'S GOING TO SPEAK OUT THERE
TO COME ON IN. GOOD AFTERNOON
NATALIE SPIVAK WITH HOUSING
CALIFORNIA. WE ARE DEEPLY
CONCERNED ABOUT THE PROPOSED
CUTS TO THE STATE'S AFFORDABLE
HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS
PROGRAMS IN PARTICULAR, WE URGE
YOU TO APPROVE THE GOVERNOR'S
PROPOSAL TO INCLUDE $500 MILLION
FOR THE STATE LOW INCOME HOUSING
TAX CREDIT PROGRAM IN THE
BUDGET. THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN
SUCCESSFUL IN BUILDING 25,000
AFFORDABLE HOMES OVER THE LAST
FOUR YEARS, AND VERY EFFICIENTLY
LEVERAGES FEDERAL. FUNDING,
WHICH IS IMPORTANT AT THE TIME
OF STATE DEFICIT IN ADDITION, WE
URGE YOU TO RESTORE THE CUTS TO
THE MULTIFAMILY HOUSING PROGRAM.
THIS PROGRAM IS INCREDIBLY
IMPORTANT TO ENSURE THAT OUR
STATE FUNDING IS ABLE TO BUILD
UNITS FOR THE LOWEST INCOME
FAMILIES. AND FINALLY, WE URGE
YOU TO RESTORE THE CUTS TO ROUND
FIVE OF THE HAP PROGRAM AND
MAINTAIN LEVEL FUNDING FOR ROUND
SIX. THE PROGRAM IS EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT FOR LOCAL
JURISDICTIONS TO PROVIDE HOUSING
AND SERVICES TO HOMELESS
INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES, AND
WITHOUT THAT MONEY, WE WILL SEE
HOMELESSNESS INCREASE. WE KNOW
THAT THERE ARE ABOUT 47,000
AFFORDABLE UNITS IN THE PIPELINE
THAT JUST NEED STATE FUNDING TO
MOVE FORWARD, SO THIS FUNDING
WILL BE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU AGAIN.
COMMENTS UNDER 30S. IF YOU SEE
ME DOING THIS, THAT MEANS YOU
GOT TO WRAP IT UP. THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT. YOU MAY LIFT THE MIC
ALL THE WAY UP. THERE YOU GO,
CHAIR AND MEMBERS. GOOD
AFTERNOON, FRANCISCO BARAJAS
WITH THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS. WE
REMAIN DEEPLY CONCERNED OVER THE
CONTINUED CUT TO REAP 2.0. THIS
WILL HAVE A DEVASTATING IMPACT
ON LOCAL AND REGIONAL EFFORTS TO
ADDRESS THE HOUSING CRISIS HERE
AT SCAG, WE'VE ALREADY AWARDED
FUNDING TO 100 TRANSFORMATIVE
PROJECTS WHICH ARE THEMSELVES
USING THE FUNDING TO
COLLECTIVELY LEVERAGE AN
ADDITIONAL $192 MILLION IN
FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL SOURCES
TO SUPPORT THE BUILDING OF
66,000 HOUSING UNITS ACROSS ALL
INCOME LEVELS THROUGHOUT OUR SIX
COUNTY REGION. THESE PROJECTS
ARE DESIGNED TO ACCELERATE
HOUSING PRODUCTION AND A
THOUGHTFUL, STRATEGIC AND
SUSTAINABLE MANNER, AND WE
STRONGLY URGE THE LEGISLATURE
AND GOVERNOR TO FIND A WAY TO
RESTORE REAP 2.0 FUNDING. THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
EDUARDO MARTINEZ HERE TODAY ON
BEHALF OF ACTORS EQUITY
ASSOCIATION, WE ARE A NATIONAL
UNION OF THEATER ACTORS AND
STAGE MANAGERS IN THE LIVE ARTS,
HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST THE $10
MILLION CUT TO THE ARTS COUNCIL
AS WELL AS THE $12.5 MILLION CUT
TO THE, EQUITABLE PAYROLL FUND,
WHICH IS A RESULTS IN A ZEROING
OUT OF THAT FUND. WE WERE ONE OF
THE CHIEF SPONSORS OF THAT
LEGISLATION THAT CREATED THAT
FUND, WHICH IS REALLY MEANT TO
FUND ARTS WORKERS. SO MUCH OF
ARTS FUNDING GOES TO FUND,
SPACES AND BUILDINGS AND THINGS.
BUT THIS IS THIS FUNDING WAS
REALLY GEARED TOWARD CREATING
MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR A, A
GOOD, CAREER. AND SO WE'RE
REALLY URGING THE COMMITTEE TO
REALLY LOOK CLOSELY AT THAT AND
CONSIDER OTHER ALTERNATIVES. WE
THINK THIS IS GOING TO HURT
PRIMARILY, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE OF
COLOR, MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES,
AND THEATERS CAN'T CAN'T WAIT
THIS LONG. SO THERE'S IT'S GOING
TO BE HARD TO RESTORE THIS MONEY
BACK, EVEN IF WITH GOOD BUDGET
TIMES COME, COME BEFORE US LATER
ON. SO REALLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO
SUPPORT US ON THAT. THANK YOU.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR.
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, JOHN
MOFFATT, ON BEHALF OF THE
ALLIANCE FOR AUTOMOTIVE
INNOVATION HERE IN OPPOSITION TO
THE BAD DEBT DEDUCTION
ELIMINATION, IT'S IMPORTANT TO
NOTE WHAT THAT IS. THAT IS A
REFUND OF THE OVERPAYMENT OF
SALES TAX WHEN A VEHICLE SOLD
FOR $50,000 AND THEN ONLY 25,000
GETS SPENT OR GETS PAID BACK,
THAT MEANS THERE'S TWO TWO TIMES
THE AMOUNT OF TAX WAS PAID THAT
SHOULD HAVE BEEN PAID ON THE
ULTIMATE PURCHASE PRICE, THIS
HAS SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS WHEN
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A 10% SALES
TAX RATE IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA AND WILL IMPACT
TRANSACTIONS MOVING FORWARD. WE
THINK THERE ARE ALTERNATIVES
THAT WE HAVE PUT FORWARD THAT
WOULD ACTUALLY GET SAVINGS IN
THE BUDGET YEAR, MORE SAVINGS IN
THE BUDGET YEAR VERSUS THE OUT
YEAR HAS BEEN PROPOSED. AND WE'D
JUST LIKE TO ENCOURAGE THE
CONSIDERATION OF THOSE
ALTERNATIVES. THANK YOU, MADAM
CHAIR AND MEMBERS. CLIFF COSTA,
ON BEHALF OF GENERAL MOTORS,
ALSO HERE, IN OPPOSITION TO THE
BAD DEBT DEDUCTION AND ENCOURAGE
THE COMMITTEE TO REJECT THE
GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL AND INSTEAD
CONSIDER ONE OF THE ALTERNATIVES
THAT IS BEING PROPOSED BY THE
INDUSTRY. WE FUNDAMENTALLY
BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A BACKLOG
OF MONEY NOW THAT IS BEING
CONSIDERED FOR BAD DEBT, AND
THAT IS NOT ACTUALLY A BUDGET
SCORE IN THIS BUDGET YEAR. SO WE
WOULD CONSIDER AND ASK YOU TO
CONSIDER ALTERNATIVES THAT WOULD
LOOK AT ACTUALLY GETTING A
REALIZED SCORE FOR THIS BAD
BUDGET YEAR AND CONTINUE TO
ALLOW THIS RETURN OF SALES TAX,
IN FUTURE YEARS. THANK YOU. GOOD
AFTERNOON. RENE DE VIDAK HERE ON
BEHALF OF THE CITY OF
PLACERVILLE, THE CITY OF AUBURN,
THE SACRAMENTO HISPANIC CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE AND MUTUAL HOUSING,
CALIFORNIA, REQUESTING YOU TO
PROTECT THE 2.0 FUNDING. THIS IS
A CRITICAL POT OF MONEY THAT WE
RELY ON FOR THE GREEN MEANS GO
PROGRAM. IT UNLOCKS DESPERATELY
NEEDED INFILL HOUSING IN THE
SACRAMENTO REGION. THANK YOU,
THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. CHAIR
BLESSED SHEPHERD, ON BEHALF OF
THE 19 MAYORS FROM THE
SACRAMENTO REGION URGING YOU TO
PROTECT FUNDING FOR RIP TO
MAYORS FROM THE FOLLOWING CITIES
INCLUDE CITRUS HEIGHTS,
MARYSVILLE, WINTERS, DAVIS,
PLACERVILLE, WOODLAND, ELK
GROVE, RANCHO CORDOVA, YUBA
CITY, FOLSOM, ROCKLIN, GALT,
ROSEVILLE, ELTON, SACRAMENTO,
LINCOLN, AND WEST SACRAMENTO.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD
AFTERNOON, MELISSA WERNER ON
BEHALF OF HONDA, ALSO IN
OPPOSITION TO THE ELIMINATION OF
THE BAD DEBT DEDUCTION. AND WE
WOULD ALIGN OUR COMMENTS WITH
MR. MOFFATT IN TERMS OF
CONSIDERING ADOPTING AN
ALTERNATIVE PROPOSAL. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MEMBERS
SARA FLOCKS, CALIFORNIA LABOR
FEDERATION AND WHILE WE
APPRECIATE THAT THERE ARE NOT
FURLOUGHS IN THE GOVERNOR'S
PROPOSAL, WE ARE OPPOSED TO A
PERMANENT ELIMINATION OF STATE
JOBS. THIS IS NOT A FREEZE. IT
IS A PERMANENT ELIMINATION. WE
HAVE MAJOR CONCERNS ABOUT THAT,
ESPECIALLY IN DEPARTMENTS THAT
HAVE VACANCIES. OUR REVENUE
GENERATED OR SPECIAL FUNDED. WE
ALSO CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE TO
PRESERVE THE HIGH ROAD TRAINING
PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM OF HIGH
QUALITY TRAINING PROGRAMS, AND
HOPE MONEY COULD BE REPURPOSED
FROM SURF CALIFORNIA JOBS FIRST
TO CONTINUE THAT AND OPPOSE
ELIMINATION OF THE WOMEN IN
CONSTRUCTION. THAT'S AN
IMPORTANT PROGRAM. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM
CHAIR AND MEMBERS. GRACIELA
CASTILLO KRINGS HERE ON BEHALF
OF ALL HOME C.H, THE CALIFORNIA
HOUSING CONSORTIUM AND
ENTERPRISE COMMUNITY PARTNERS
WANTED TO JUST SAY THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR THE ADVOCACY THAT THE
LEGISLATURE HAS DONE TO MAKE
SURE THAT THE GOVERNOR INCLUDED
THE TAX CREDITS. THAT IS
INCREDIBLY HELPFUL. BUT AS THE
ANALYSIS BY YOUR STAFF POINTS
OUT, IN ORDER FOR US TO REALLY
FULFILL THE PROMISE AND ENSURE
THAT MORE PEOPLE DO NOT FALL
INTO HOMELESSNESS, WE REALLY
NEED TO RESTORE M-H-P DOLLARS
THAT IT'S SUCH A IT'S A VERY
UNWISE CUT. AND I'M SURPRISED
THAT THE GOVERNOR ACTUALLY IS
THE ONE PUTTING IT FORTH. BUT
WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
RESTORE THAT. AND THE LAST THING
WOULD BE RESTORATION OF FIVE
ROUND FOR THE ROUND FIVE. THANK
YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS
JUSTINA MARTINO. I AM AN ARTIST,
A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER AND A
SACRAMENTO ARTS COMMISSIONER. I
OPPOSE THE $10 MILLION BUDGET
CUT TO THE CALIFORNIA ARTS
COUNCIL. I INVITE YOU TO REFLECT
ON AN ART EXPERIENCE THAT HELPED
YOU FEEL CONNECTED, UPLIFTED,
MOVED, OR INSPIRED. THE ARTIST
AND ARTS ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORTED
WITH ARTS COUNCIL FUNDS CREATE
THESE IMPACTFUL EXPERIENCES FOR
PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES
THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA. ART IS
ESSENTIAL. LET'S ACT LIKE IT.
THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON,
REBECCA MARCUS, SPEAKING ON
BEHALF OF LEADINGAGE,
CALIFORNIA. WHILE WE GREATLY
APPRECIATE THE AVAILABILITY OF
THE $500 MILLION FOR CREDIT
FUNDS TO CREATE MORE LOW TECH
HOUSING, WE ASK YOU TO REJECT
THE OTHER ACTIONS PROPOSED IN
THE MAY REVISE. SPECIFICALLY
TARGETING THE HOUSING NEEDS OF
OLDER ADULTS AND PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES. AS YOU KNOW,
CALIFORNIA HAS EXPERIENCED AN
ALARMING SPIKE IN OLDER ADULT
HOUSING AND ALMOST HALF OF
UNHOUSED ADULTS ARE NOW AGE 50
AND OLDER. THE MAY REVISION
PROPOSES CUTS TO HOME SAFE AND
THE HOUSING AND DISABILITY
ADVOCACY PROGRAM, TWO OF THE
ONLY PROGRAMS FOCUSED ON
PREVENTING OLDER ADULT
HOMELESSNESS. WHEN PAIRED WITH
THE SEVERE REDUCTIONS IN HAP,
THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONTINUUM
INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM, THE
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BRIDGE
PROGRAM, AND MGCP, WE WILL HAVE
A FEW RESOURCES LEFT TO HELP
OLDER AND DISABLED ADULTS TO GET
AND STAY STAY HOUSED. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. MARK STIVERS,
SPEAKING FOR THE CALIFORNIA
HOUSING PARTNERSHIP AND THE
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION
OF NONPROFIT HOUSING. AFFORDABLE
HOUSING IS A BASIC HUMAN NEED.
IT'S ALSO THE ONLY SOLUTION TO
HOMELESSNESS AND VOTERS GREATEST
CONCERNS. ALREADY WITH BOND
FUNDS DRYING UP, WE'VE SEEN A
38% REDUCTION IN AFFORDABLE
HOUSING PRODUCTION IN ONE YEAR,
AND THAT'S GOING TO PLUMMET
FURTHER UNDER THE CURRENT
PROPOSED BUDGET. WE URGE YOU TO
APPROVE THE STATE LOW INCOME
HOUSING TAX CREDITS. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR THAT AND RESTORE
AS MUCH OF THE MULTIFAMILY
HOUSING PROGRAM BUDGET AS
POSSIBLE, UNLESS THERE'S A
HOUSING BOND PLACED ON THE
BALLOT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM
CHAIR. GUS CORA, ON BEHALF OF
SEVERAL TRANSPORTATION PLANNING
AGENCIES IN THE SAN JOAQUIN
VALLEY AND CENTRAL COAST, ASKING
FOR YOU TO CONSIDER RESTORING
FUNDING TO 2.0. FAILURE TO DO SO
IS GOING TO RESULT IN EXPOSING
LOCAL JURISDICTIONS TO
LITIGATION, BECAUSE THEY ALREADY
HAVE AGREEMENTS SIGNED WITH
DEVELOPERS. THAT'S ONE.
SECONDLY, BY FAILING TO PRODUCE
MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WE ARE
ALSO EXPOSING OURSELVES TO
LOSING TRANSPORTATION FUNDING
BECAUSE WE'RE REQUIRED BY THE
AIR RESOURCES BOARD TO PUT
TOGETHER SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY
STRATEGIES. SO WE ASK FOR YOUR
RECONSIDERATION. WE THINK
THERE'S OTHER FUNDING SOURCES.
MAYBE EVEN DEFERRING, THE
FUNDING INSTEAD OF JUST CUTTING
THE FUNDING OUTRIGHT. SINCE THIS
WAS A REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM AND
WE'VE BEEN DEPENDENT ON THIS
FUNDING FOR THREE YEARS. SO
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONCERN.
THANK YOU. MADAM CHAIR MEMBERS.
MARTHA, HANG ON ONE SECOND, CAN
WE FIND OUT? ARE THERE OTHER
PEOPLE OUTSIDE JUST SO WE CAN
GET. I'M TRYING TO. THERE'S
SEVEN MORE PEOPLE, LET ME ASK
ASSEMBLY MEMBER ORTEGA. DO YOU
WANT TO WAIT FOR THE PEOPLE TO
ALL DO THEIR COMMENTS, OR DO
YOU? YOU'RE OKAY ON TIME. ALL
RIGHT, ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MEMBERS.
MARTHA GUERRERO, REPRESENTING
LOS ANGELES COUNTY BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS IN OPPOSITION TO THE
CUT TO THE HOUSING, NAVIGATION
AND MAINTENANCE PROGRAM, GIVEN
THAT IT DOES ALLOW FOR YOUTH TO
HAVE ACCESS TO FEDERAL VOUCHERS
WITH THE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT ALSO
URGING THE CONTINUED FUNDING 1
BILLION FOR THE HAP PROGRAM, 329
MILLION GOES TO LOS ANGELES
COUNTY FOR HOUSING SUPPORTS AND
ALSO FOR THE REPROGRAM. THANK
YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. ONORABLE
CHAIR AND MEMBERS, AMY
HINES-IKE, ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY LAND TRUST
NETWORK, SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF
THE FORECLOSURE INTERVENTION
HOUSING PRESERVATION PROGRAM AS
YOUR THOUGHTFUL ANALYSIS
MENTIONS, THE FORECLOSURE RATES
EXCEED PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS.
CURRENTLY, IN 2023 ALONE, 31,136
PROPERTIES IN CALIFORNIA
RECEIVED A FORECLOSURE NOTICE.
THOSE BUILDINGS ARE HOME TO
APPROXIMATELY 100,500
CALIFORNIANS, INCLUDING
THOUSANDS OF RENTERS WHOSE
HOUSING IS AT RISK. THE
GOVERNOR'S MAY REVISE TO THE
STATE BUDGET PROPOSED A 100% CUT
TO 50. WE ARE REQUESTING THAT,
AT A MINIMUM, THE STATE SHOULD
MAINTAIN THE GOVERNOR'S JANUARY
PROPOSAL OF $237.5 MILLION FOR
THE PROGRAM, AND WE THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR YOUR
CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU. GOOD
AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR AND
MEMBERS. MARGARET GLADSTEIN,
EPILEPSY, HERE ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA RETAILERS
ASSOCIATION. WE OPPOSE THE
ELIMINATION OF THE BAD DEBT
DEDUCTION, WHICH WOULD
ESSENTIALLY MEAN A RETAILERS
LENDING PARTNER CANNOT GET A
REFUND OF SALES TAX PAID TO THE
STATE, BUT NOT ACTUALLY PAID BY
THE PURCHASER. WELL, THE
ADMINISTRATION PROPOSED LANGUAGE
RESTORES THE BAD DEBT BENEFIT
FOR RETAILERS. THAT DOESN'T
HELP, BECAUSE RETAILERS NOW
PARTNER WITH LENDERS RATHER THAN
PROVIDING THE FINANCING
THEMSELVES. THESE REASONS WE
URGE YOU TO REJECT THIS
PROPOSAL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU,
MADAM CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE, JEREMY SMITH, HERE ON
BEHALF OF THE STATE BUILDING AND
CONSTRUCTION TRADES COUNCIL,
OPPOSING THE ELIMINATION OF THE
WOMEN AND CONSTRUCTION UNIT AT
THE DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRIAL
RELATIONS, AS WE IN THE INDUSTRY
WORK TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN MORE
WOMEN TO OUR INDUSTRY AS WELL AS
OTHER MARGINALIZED GROUPS, THIS
UNIT HAS PROVEN EFFECTIVE
ALREADY AND CRITICAL IN HELPING
US MEET THAT DEMAND, THEY WERE
INSTRUMENTAL IN CREATING THE
EQUAL REPRESENTATION IN
CONSTRUCTION APPRENTICESHIP
GRANT, WHICH IS PROVIDING
STIPENDS TO THOSE IN REGISTERED
APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS FOR
CHILD CARE COSTS, THIS IS AN
IMPORTANT IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE
A UNIT SPECIFICALLY FOR WOMEN AT
DIR. WE OPPOSE THE CUT AND URGE
YOU TO RESTORE IT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. HI, I'M DARA DOTTO OF
CAMEO NETWORK AND ASSOCIATION OF
MORE THAN 400 MISSION DRIVEN
BUSINESS SERVICE PROVIDERS. IN
ADDITION TO THE REASONS MY
COLLEAGUES HAVE STATED, A $13
MILLION TAX CUT WILL SERIOUSLY
UNDERMINE THE ABILITY TO DELIVER
ON THE SSBCI PROGRAM BECAUSE THE
TAP PROGRAM BUILDS THE PIPELINE
FOR SSBCI PROGRAMS AND FUNDS
AROUND 100 ORGANIZATIONS, MOST
ARE NOT PARTICIPATING IN THE
SSBCI PROGRAM. THE TWO PROGRAMS
LEVERAGE EACH OTHER AND ARE NOT
INTERCHANGEABLE. WE URGE YOU NOT
TO CUT THE TAP. THANK YOU. GOOD
AFTERNOON. POORVA BHATTACHARJEE
WITH THE CALIFORNIA ALLIANCE OF
CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES. WE
REPRESENT OVER 160 DIFFERENT
COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS
THAT PROVIDE SERVICES TO FOSTER
YOUTH, WE ARE IN OPPOSITION TO
THE CUTS TO THE HOUSING
NAVIGATION AND MAINTENANCE
PROGRAM. THIS IMPORTANT PROGRAM
HELPS PROVIDE SERVICES FOR OVER
1300 FORMER FOSTER YOUTH, AND IS
A KEY REASON WHY HOMELESSNESS
AMONGST TRANSITION AGED YOUTH
DECREASED BY 16% IN CALIFORNIA.
CUTS TO THIS PROGRAM WOULD JUST
INCREASE YOUTH HOMELESSNESS
ACROSS CALIFORNIA AND WE BELIEVE
THAT THIS IMPORTANT PROGRAM
SHOULD BE CONTINUED TO BE FUNDED
. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD
AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR,
COMMITTEE MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR
YOUR TIME THIS MORNING. JULIAN
CANETTI, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF
THE CALIFORNIA HISPANIC CHAMBERS
OF COMMERCE HERE IN OPPOSITION
TO THE PROPOSED CUT TO THE
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE EXPANSION
PROGRAM, THIS PROGRAM HAS HELPED
SO MANY BUSINESSES, BUT MORE
IMPORTANTLY, IT'S BEEN AN
INVESTMENT IN THE STATE'S
ECONOMY, IN GROWING THESE
BUSINESSES, CREATING MORE JOBS
AND CREATING A STRONGER TAX BASE
IN OUR COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT
CALIFORNIA. THESE PROGRAMS
IMPACT, COMMUNITIES FROM THE
FROM THE SOUTH BORDER TO THE
OREGON BORDER. SO WE URGE YOU TO
KEEP THE FUNDING IN PLACE. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON,
MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS. KAREN
LANG ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS IN SEVERAL COUNTIES
RELATED TO THE PROPOSALS, FOR
PLACER COUNTY, THERE'S A $3.5
MILLION GRANT THAT THEY HAVE
SECURED THROUGH THE PROJECT THAT
WOULD FUND THE SEWER PROJECT
THAT WOULD SUPPORT 2000 UNITS OF
BUILD OUT, AND THEY OPPOSE THAT
CUT, THE BOARDS OF SUPERVISORS
IN HUMBOLDT AND KERN URGE YOU TO
MAINTAIN THE FUNDING FOR
HOUSING, NAVIGATION AND
MAINTENANCE. SAN JOAQUIN,
HUMBOLDT, FRESNO AND MADERA ARE
IN OPPOSITION TO THE CUTS TO
HAP. SONOMA IS URGENTLY NEEDING
FUNDING FOR THE MIDDLE MILE OF
BROADBAND, AND NEVADA AND
MENDOCINO SHARED THE CONCERNS
YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD REGARDING
THE CUT TO TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
AT GO-BIZ. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MATT
KLOPFENSTEIN ON BEHALF OF
VOLKSWAGEN GROUP OF AMERICA, WE
ARE, LIKE THE OTHER AUTOMAKERS,
OPPOSED TO THE BAD DEBT PROPOSAL
THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS PUT
FORWARD, SAKE OF TIME, I'LL JUST
ALIGN MY COMMENTS WITH JOHN
MOFFITT AND THE ALLIANCE FOR
AUTOMOTIVE INNOVATION. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. LISA BENAVIDEZ
HERE ON BEHALF OF GOLDEN STATE
OPPORTUNITY, STRONGLY URGING THE
LEGISLATURE TO REJECT THE
GOVERNOR'S PROPOSED $10 BILLION
REDUCTION TO THE FREE TAX
PREPARATION EDUCATION OUTREACH
SERVICES. THE CURRENT FUNDING IS
HELPING ENSURE WE HAVE CRITICAL,
COMMUNITY DRIVEN, OUTREACH
FOCUSED AND CONNECTING ELIGIBLE
TAX FILERS TO FREE TAX
PREPARATION ASSISTANCE AND
EDUCATING FAMILIES ABOUT
CLAIMING THE CALIFORNIA EARNED
INCOME TAX CREDIT, YOUNG CHILD
TAX CREDIT AND THE FOSTER YOUTH
TAX CREDIT, AS WELL AS WELL AS
FEDERAL. THESE TAX CREDITS ARE
RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF
CALIFORNIA'S MOST EFFECTIVE
PROGRAMS FOR ALLEVIATING POVERTY
, AND WE STRONGLY URGE YOUR
PRESERVATION. THANK YOU. HELLO,
CHAIR AND MEMBERS. CAROLINE
GRINDER, ON BEHALF OF THE LEAGUE
OF CALIFORNIA CITIES, CAL CITIES
IS DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE
PROPOSED 260 MILLION IN CUTS TO
HAT BONUS FUNDS AND THE LACK OF
FUNDING FOR HAT BROWN SIX
FAILURE TO FUND HAT FOR ANOTHER
ROUND WOULD BE AN EXISTENTIAL
THREAT TO HOMELESSNESS SERVICES
UP AND DOWN THE STATE. CAL
CITIES IS URGING A MINIMUM OF 1
BILLION IN FUNDING FOR HAT
BROWN, SIX AND CONSIDERING
CONTINUED CONVERSATIONS AROUND
THE NEED FOR ONGOING FUNDING TO
ALLOW CITIES TO PLAN LONG TERM
TO ADDRESS THE HOMELESSNESS
CRISIS. WE UNDERSTAND THE CALLS
FOR ACCOUNTABILITY. A RECENT
REPORT REALLY DID SHOW THE VALUE
OF THE HAT PROGRAM IN ADDRESSING
HOMELESSNESS. WE LOOK FORWARD TO
WORKING TOGETHER TO CONTINUE TO
ADDRESS THIS CRISIS IN OUR
STATE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
HELLO, I'M SAM WILKINSON WITH
GRACE AND CHILD POVERTY IN
CALIFORNIA AND THE CAL EITC
COALITION HERE TO URGE YOUR
SUPPORT FOR THE INCOME THRESHOLD
FIX TO ALIGN THE YOUNG CHILD TAX
CREDIT AND THE FOSTER YOUTH TAX
CREDIT WITH THE EITC, TO ASK
THAT YOU REJECT THE GOVERNOR'S
PROPOSAL TO REDUCE FREE TAX
PREPARATION ASSISTANCE,
EDUCATION AND OUTREACH FUNDING,
AND TO FULLY RESTORE THAT
FUNDING AT 20 MILLION, WE URGE
THE LEGISLATURE TO SUPPORT
PROGRESSIVE, EQUITABLE REVENUE
PROPOSALS SUCH AS THOSE OUTLINED
BY THE LAO, TO CREATE A FAIR
BUDGET FOR ALL CALIFORNIANS AND
TO BUILD ON IRS DIRECT FILE
PILOT TOWARD AN INTEGRATED ONE
STOP SOLUTION. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. THANK YOU. HI. GOOD
AFTERNOON, CHAIR AND MEMBERS. MY
NAME IS DANIELLE BAUTISTA WITH
UNITED WAYS OF CALIFORNIA. AND
ALSO ON BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA
EARNED INCOME, TAX CREDIT
COALITION. I'M HERE IN SUPPORT
OF FULLY RESTORING THE 20
MILLION FOR FREE TAX PREPARATION
, ASSISTANCE AND EDUCATION AND
OUTREACH PROGRAM. AND ALSO IN
SUPPORT OF THE TRAILER BILL
LANGUAGE TO SUPPORT INCOME
THRESHOLD ALIGNMENT WITH THE
FOSTER YOUTH TAX CREDIT, YOUNG
CHILD TAX CREDIT AND CALIFORNIA
EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT. THANK
YOU. HELLO. GOOD EVENING, CHAIR
MEMBERS. MY NAME IS SOPHIA AND
I'M THE DIRECTOR FOR THE WOMEN'S
BUSINESS CENTER HERE IN
SACRAMENTO. AND I WANT TO URGE
YOU TO PLEASE CONSIDER YOUR
REDUCTION ON THE 50% AMOUNT
FUNDING FOR TAP. WITH TAP, WE
HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BRING OUR
CHILD ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM
TO FRUITION. AND WE HAVE ALSO
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE TO
CLOSING THAT CHILDCARE DESERT.
AND WITHOUT THAT, WE WOULD NOT
BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THE PROGRAM,
NOR WOULD WE BE ABLE TO CONTINUE
TO ALLOW FAMILIES TO REENTER THE
WORKFORCE. THANK YOU. GOOD
AFTERNOON, CHAIR AND MEMBERS,
CHRIS LEE HERE ON BEHALF OF THE
SACRAMENTO AREA COUNCIL OF
GOVERNMENTS, IN OPPOSITION TO
THE PROPOSED REAP 2.0 CUTS.
THERE'S $26 MILLION WORTH OF
HARD INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS
READY TO GO IN THE SACRAMENTO
REGION THAT WILL UNLOCK 8000
UNITS OF INFILL HOUSING, HELPING
TO ACHIEVE BOTH AFFORDABLE
HOUSING AND CLIMATE GOALS. WE
THANK THE COMMITTEE FOR
PRIORITIZING THAT AND BUDGET
NEGOTIATIONS AND URGE YOU TO
RESTORE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
SECOND, ON BEHALF OF THE SONOMA
COUNTY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY,
REGIONAL CLIMATE PROTECTION
AUTHORITY, ECHO THE COMMENTS BY
MTC AND ABAG. ALSO IN OPPOSITION
TO THE REAP 2.0 CUTS. THANK YOU.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR, AND
MEMBERS. KEANU VALENTINE WITH
POLITICO GROUP ON BEHALF OF
SEVERAL REGIONAL AGENCY CLIENTS
IN OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSED
CUTS TO THE .2.0 PROGRAM. I
WOULD LIKE TO REITERATE MY
COLLEAGUES GRATITUDE TO THE
ASSEMBLY FOR MAKING THIS A
PRIORITY ISSUE FOR BUDGET
NEGOTIATIONS GOING FORWARD. AND,
ON BEHALF OF A FEW CLIENTS,
WANTED TO SHARE SOME OF THE
POTENTIAL IMPACTS THAT THIS
WOULD HAVE IN IN REGIONS RELATED
TO HOUSING, MULTIMODAL
TRANSPORTATION INVESTMENTS, AND
ULTIMATELY THE ABILITY TO
DELIVER ON CLIMATE GOALS IN
TULARE COUNTY, THEY HAVE ALREADY
BROKEN GROUND. AND IN FACT, SOME
PEOPLE ARE ALREADY LIVING IN
AFFORDABLE HOUSING, INFILL
DEVELOPMENT, THAT WILL SUPPORT
FAMILIES, SENIORS AND FORMERLY
HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS WITH
SUPPORTIVE SERVICES IN THE
COACHELLA VALLEY. THOSE
PROGRAMS, THOSE FUNDS ARE
INTENDED TO USE OR SUPPORT
DEVELOPMENT OF 6200 UNITS OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING CONNECTIONS
TO ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION AND
TRANSIT OPPORTUNITIES, AND
FINALLY, IN MERCED COUNTY, THEY
ARE PLANNING TO USE A
SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THEIR
REAP 2.0 FOR 100% INFILL
AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT
IN CONNECTION TO HIGH SPEED
RAIL. EXISTING AMTRAK AND BUS
SERVICE. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU. HOLLY FIRMANDO DE
JESUS, ON BEHALF OF HABITAT FOR
HUMANITY CALIFORNIA, WE'RE STILL
DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED THAT THE
GOVERNOR'S MAY REVISION STILL
DISPROPORTIONATELY, CUTS THE
HOME OWNERSHIP PROGRAMS COMPARED
TO THE RENTAL PROGRAMS,
COMPLETELY ZEROING OUT THE CAL
HOME PROGRAM, WHICH IS THE ONE
AND ONLY STATE PROGRAM THAT
PRODUCES A NEW UNIT FOR OWNER
OCCUPIED HOMES FOR LOW INCOME
FAMILIES. WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE
THE LEGISLATURE TO PLEASE
RESTORE THE 152 MILLION THAT WAS
CUT. THAT IS, 2000 NEW UNITS
THAT WILL NOT BE BUILT IN FUTURE
YEARS AND AT A MINIMUM, RESTORE
SOMETHING. ZEROING OUT THE CAL
HOME PROGRAM IS REALLY
UNACCEPTABLE. AND SECOND, ON
BEHALF OF THE UNITED WAY GREATER
LOS ANGELES, WE'RE HOPING THAT
THE LEGISLATURE WILL CREATE SOME
FUNDING FOR LA CASA TO HELP
BRIDGE THE GAP. RIGHT NOW, FOR
THE PILOT PROJECTS THAT ARE
NEEDED, MUCH NEEDED IN THE LA
COUNTY BASIN. WHILE WE'RE
WAITING FOR THAT NEWLY,
CERTIFIED INITIATIVE, THE BALLOT
INITIATIVE THAT IS GOING TO THE
VOTERS IN THE FALL, IT'S GOING
TO TAKE A WHILE FOR THOSE FUNDS
TO COME IN, BUT WE'RE HOPEFUL
THAT THE LEGISLATURE WILL
RESTORE SOME FUNDS SO THAT WE
CAN GET SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS
FUNDED WHILE WE WAIT FOR THOSE
NEW REVENUES TO COME INTO THE
PROGRAM. SO THANK YOU. ALL
RIGHT. SEEING NO ONE ELSE, LAST
CALL. PUBLIC COMMENTS. ALL
RIGHT. WE'LL BRING IT BACK HERE
TO THE DAIS, ASSEMBLY MEMBER
PATTERSON, WILL YOU ALLOW OUR
GUESTS TO SPEAK FIRST? ALL
RIGHT. ASSEMBLY MEMBER, ORTEGA,
THANK YOU FOR YOUR GRACIOUSNESS,
I CAME IN AND ASKED SOME
QUESTIONS AROUND THE, RATIONALE
FOR THE WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION
UNIT AND ELIMINATING THAT. DO WE
HAVE FOLKS HERE FROM THE
GOVERNOR'S OFFICE? IF YOU DON'T
MIND INTRODUCING YOURSELF. GOOD
AFTERNOON, ANDREW MÁS WITH THE
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE, SO IT WAS
SPECIFICALLY TO THE WOMEN IN
CONSTRUCTION UNIT, THE GOVERNOR
HAD TO MAKE VERY DIFFICULT
DECISIONS THIS YEAR AND WITHDRAW
PRIORITY FUNDING THAT WE
PREVIOUSLY COMMITTED TO. AND
THIS WAS ONE OF THOSE DIFFICULT
DECISIONS THAT HAD TO BE MADE.
THIS IS A DISCRETIONARY GENERAL
FUND, AND GIVEN THE BUDGET
CLIMATE, IT'S NOT IT'S NOT
SOMETHING THAT WE COULD CONTINUE
FUNDING IN THE FUTURE. IS THERE,
CONVERSATIONS OR THOUGHTS ABOUT
CONTINUING THE PROGRAM OR
PROJECT, THE FUNDING AND, YOU
KNOW, FUTURE YEARS, WHEN WE HAVE
A BETTER BUDGET OUTLOOK. SO SO
THE PROPOSAL THAT THE MAYOR
VISION IS TO ELIMINATE THE
FUNDING, BUT, IF THE, THE
GENERAL FUND CONDITION, WAS TO
CHANGE IN THE FUTURE, THEN IT'S
SOMETHING THAT THE
ADMINISTRATION WOULD BE HAPPY TO
HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE
LEGISLATURE ABOUT RESTORING THAT
FUNDING. SO I HAVE THE SAME
QUESTION FOR THE PROPOSAL TO
REDUCE 45 MILLION FOR THE HIGH
ROAD TRAINING PARTNERSHIP AND
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, WE'VE
SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN THE
LEGISLATURE TALKING ABOUT THE
HEALTH CARE SHORTAGE, AND THE
NEED FOR ADDITIONAL TRAINED, YOU
KNOW, PEOPLE IN THE HEALTH CARE
SYSTEM. SO WHAT IS THE RATIONALE
BEHIND THIS? AND WOULDN'T THIS
CUT IMPACT OUR ABILITY TO, YOU
KNOW, INCREASE OUR REVENUE, BY
MAKING SURE WE HAVE MORE PEOPLE
ENTERING THE WORKFORCE? YEAH.
SO, SO AGAIN, WITH THE HIGH ROAD
TRAINING PARTNERSHIPS FOR THE
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES FOCUS,
THAT FUNDING AGAIN WAS IT'S
DISCRETIONARY GENERAL FUND. SO
GIVEN THE BUDGET ENVIRONMENT, IT
WAS A DIFFICULT DECISION THAT
HAD TO BE MADE BACK AT THE
GOVERNOR'S BUDGET. THERE'S
ADDITIONAL FUNDING IN THE HEALTH
AND HUMAN SERVICES, AREA FOR
HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE. AND THEN
THERE IS ADDITIONALLY DIRECTION
AND PROPOSITION ONE, FOR HEALTH
CARE WORKFORCE FUNDING. AND
THERE AS WELL, ALTHOUGH NOT
SUBSTITUTES DIRECTLY FOR THE
HIGH ROAD TRAINING PARTNERSHIPS,
THOSE ARE ADDITIONAL HEALTH CARE
WORKFORCE FUNDING. THANK YOU.
THAT WAS THAT CONCLUDES MY
QUESTIONS. I JUST WANT TO THANK
THE CHAIR FOR HER AMAZING WORK
AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ALL
INFORMED ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING
IN THESE CUTS AND BEING A VOICE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR JOINING
US, ALL RIGHT, ASSEMBLY MEMBER
PATTERSON, WHO HAS BEEN PART OF
OUR TEAM HERE BUT HAS OFTEN BEEN
AWAY. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE
THINGS ON YOUR MIND TODAY?
ASSEMBLY MEMBER PATTERSON OAN.
WELL, THANK YOU, CHAIR. YES I'M
USUALLY ON TWO COMMITTEES AT THE
SAME EXACT TIME, INCLUDING A
COMMITTEE THAT I'M VICE CHAIR
OF, SO I DON'T MAKE IT AS MUCH
AS I LIKE. BUT THIS IS HONESTLY
ONE OF MY FAVORITE, AREAS, IN
THE BUDGET. AND SO I'M GLAD TO
BE ON IT, I DID HAVE, SOME
QUESTIONS FOR, THE GOVERNOR'S
OFFICE OR FINANCE, IF THAT'S
POSSIBLE. AND THEN I'LL MAKE A
COUPLE OTHER STATEMENTS. WHERE
DID HE GO? THAT'S A GOOD WAY TO
DUCK THE QUESTIONS. THERE WE GO.
ALL RIGHT. BACK, IF YOU WANT TO
TELL US THE TOPIC. SURE. BECAUSE
THAT WAY THERE'S DIFFERENT
REPRESENTATIVES. THEY'LL KNOW.
YES, THE QUESTION I'M GOING TO
ASK ABOUT, AND THEN I'LL GIVE
SOME, SOME STATEMENTS, BUT I'M
GOING TO ASK ABOUT THE, THE BAD
DEBT DEDUCTION.
I SHOULD GET THE TOPICS ALL OF
YOU GUYS ARE HERE FOR, SO I CAN
MAKE SURE YOU ALL GET YOUR STEPS
IN TODAY, JACOB KERN, DEPARTMENT
OF FINANCE. HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS PROPOSAL.
OKAY. THANK YOU, CAN YOU EXPLAIN
TO ME A LITTLE BIT HOW THAT HOW
THAT WORKS? THE DEDUCTION, YEAH,
SURE. SO OUR PROPOSALS TO
ELIMINATE THE BAD DEBT DEDUCTION
FOR LENDERS ONLY, NOT RETAILERS,
SO HOW THIS WOULD WORK IN
PRACTICE IS, BASICALLY WE I'LL
JUST GIVE SOME EXAMPLES. I THINK
THAT WOULD ACTUALLY BE EASIER.
SO, I HAVE A CREDIT CARD AND
MAKE A LOT OF PURCHASES ON MY
CREDIT CARD. SOME OF THE
PURCHASES IS THAT ARE MADE ON
THAT CREDIT CARD, SOME PORTION
OF THE, YOU KNOW, EACH PURCHASE
IS RELATED TO SALES TAX, AND
THEN SO MY BALANCE AT THE END OF
THE MONTH IS IN PART RELATED TO
SALES TAX, YOU KNOW, I'M PAYING
INTEREST ON THIS CARD. MAYBE
MAKING SOME PAYMENTS, NOT FULLY
PAYING IT OFF, AND CONSTANTLY
ACCRUING BALANCE, AND THEN
SOMEWHERE DOWN THE LINE, I
DEFAULT ON THE LOAN. I CAN'T PAY
BACK THE CARD, THIS WOULD ALLOW
THE LENDER TO THEN CLAIM A SALES
TAX DEDUCTION FOR THE PURCHASE,
OR THE PORTION OF THE REMAINING
BALANCE THAT'S RELATED TO THE
SALES TAX. IT COULD ALSO HAPPEN
ON CAR LOANS. THAT'S ACTUALLY
THE BIGGEST CATEGORY THAT'S
INCLUDED IN THIS, BUT WE VIEW
THIS AS SORT OF A, AN
UNNECESSARY SUBSIDY. SO ON THE
RETAILER SIDE, YOU COULD HAVE A
SITUATION WHERE, A CUSTOMER
GIVES THE RETAILER A BAD CHECK.
FOR INSTANCE, IN THAT EXAMPLE,
WE VIEW IT AS MORE FAIR THAT THE
RETAILER SHOULD BE ABLE TO CLAIM
A DEDUCTION OR REFUND FOR THE
SALES TAX BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T
ABLE TO COLLECT THE SALES TAX
REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE CUSTOMER.
THIS CASE IS A LITTLE MORE
TANGENTIAL, BECAUSE THE RETAILER
, WHO IS THE PERSON WHO'S
ULTIMATELY LIABLE FOR THE SALES
TAX AND ACTUALLY IS LIABLE FOR
THE SALES TAX, EVEN IF THEY
CAN'T COLLECT THE REIMBURSEMENT
FROM THE CUSTOMER. BUT THEY'RE
COLLECTING THE FULL AMOUNT,
INCLUDING THE SALES TAX BALANCE
FROM THE CUSTOMER. THE CUSTOMER
HAS A SEPARATE TRANSACTION WHERE
THEY'RE RECEIVING A LOAN FROM A
LOAN ISSUER, AND WE VIEW THOSE
AS TWO SEPARATE THINGS. ONE IS
THE PURCHASE BETWEEN THE
RETAILER AND THE CONSUMER AND
THE OTHER ONE IS THIS LOAN
AGREEMENT AND THE LOAN AGREEMENT
IS GOING TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE TO
BE LARGE ENOUGH TO COVER THE
ENTIRE PRICE. THAT INCLUDES
SALES TAX. SOMETIMES OTHER FEES
AS WELL, THAT WOULDN'T BE
REFUNDED. SO, THAT'S THE
RATIONALE BEHIND IT. A LITTLE
BIT, YEAH. I CAN ANSWER ANY
OTHER QUESTIONS AS WELL. GREAT.
THANKS, I'M NOT SURE MANY PEOPLE
USE CHECKS, BUT I GET WHERE
YOU'RE GOING THERE, I HAD TO
WRITE ONE TODAY. ACTUALLY, IT
WAS, I FORGOT HOW TO DO IT, BUT,
WHEN YOU, I MEAN, I HEARD FROM
THE RETAILERS TODAY THAT, YOU
KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THEY MAINTAIN
RELATIONSHIPS WITH CREDIT, YOU
KNOW, CREDIT COMPANIES, I MEAN,
VERY FEW OF THEM ARE LENDING
THEIR OWN CASH. AND I, THEY HAD
MENTIONED THAT THAT RELATION
SHIP WAS PRETTY IMPORTANT TO
CONTINUE TO OFFER CREDIT
SERVICES FOR OUR RETAILERS, HOW
MUCH MONEY IS THIS? EXACTLY.
WHAT'S WHAT'S THIS? WHAT ARE THE
SAVINGS THAT WOULD BE REALIZED?
YEAH. SO I'LL JUST MENTION UP
FRONT THE RETAILERS, THE THAT
PORTION OF THE LAW THAT WE ARE
PRESERVING, THAT'S A VERY SMALL
PORTION LESS THAN 10% OF CLAIMS,
OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR, I
USED TO BE THE CASE THAT MORE OF
THE CLAIMS WERE RELATED TO
RETAILERS, PARTICULARLY BEFORE
THE DEDUCTION AND REFUND WAS
EXPANDED TO LENDERS IN 2000, BUT
THE RETAIL MARKET HAS CHANGED
SUCH THAT, THERE'S ALMOST ALWAYS
AN AFFILIATE LENDER OR SOME
OTHER PARTY THAT'S MAKING THE,
THE LOAN, IN THIS CASE, NOW,
THE, REVENUE FROM THE DEDUCTION
IS 3 MILLION. IN GENERAL FUND IN
THE FIRST YEAR. 10 MILLION. AND
THAT'S AT 24, 25 AND THEN
10,000,000 IN 25, 26, 10,000,000
IN 26, 27, 30,000,000 IN 27, 28,
AND THEN 50,000,000 IN 28, 29.
AND EACH YEAR THEREAFTER, AND
ALSO AND THAT'S BECAUSE THERE'S
A BACKLOG OF CLAIMS THAT'S
ROUGHLY THREE YEARS LONG WITH
CDTFA, WHICH COVERS THE MAJORITY
IN TERM IN PERCENTAGE TERMS OF
THE CLAIMS, THEIR CLAIMS THAT
ARE INDIVIDUALLY MADE FOR
REFUNDS AND THEN THERE'S SOME
SMALLER PORTION OF THE CLAIMS
OVERALL THAT ARE MADE ON SALES
TAX RETURNS. SO IT'S FROM THAT
SALES TAX RETURN PORTION THAT
WE'RE GETTING OUR REVENUE GAIN
IMMEDIATELY. AND THEN, ON THE
INDIVIDUAL CLAIMS SIDE, THEN THE
BACKLOG NEEDS TO BE WORKED
THROUGH, WHICH IS WHY THE
REVENUE SORT OF PHASE IN ALSO
POINT OUT THAT, BECAUSE THIS IS
A SALES TAX DEDUCTION AND REFUND
, THIS IS ALSO GOING TO GENERATE
MONEY FOR LOCALS, WHO RECEIVE
THE REVENUES FROM ACTUALLY THE
MAJORITY OF THE TOTAL SALES TAX
RATE, IT'S ABOUT 4, FOR THE
STATE AND ABOUT 4.5% A LITTLE
MORE FOR LOCALS, SO THAT'S GOING
TO BE ABOUT 60 MILLION A YEAR
FOR LOCALS ONCE THIS BACKLOG IS
WORKED THROUGH. ALL RIGHT.
THANKS. I'LL, JUST IN THE I
DON'T HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS,
BUT ON THE INTEREST OF TIME,
I'LL JUST MAKE A COUPLE
COMMENTS, AND THEN I KNOW WE
HAVE 200 BILLS WE GOT TO STILL
GET THROUGH TODAY, SO WE STILL
HAVE OTHER TOPICS WE'RE GOING
TO. YEAH. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.
GREAT. I'LL HAVE OTHER TOPICS.
THEN WE'LL JUST CALL THOSE
INDIVIDUALS. I'M JUST GOING TO
MAKE GENERAL A COUPLE GENERAL
COMMENTS ABOUT THE BUDGET IN
GENERAL. I JUST WANT TO SAY, YOU
KNOW, THIS IS, IT'S ALWAYS
INTERESTING BEING IN THIS, FOR
PUBLIC COMMENT BECAUSE THIS IS
THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET. IT'S NOT
THE LEGISLATURE'S. EVENTUALLY IT
WILL BECOME, THE LEGISLATURE
WILL HOPEFULLY APPROVE A BUDGET,
AT A CERTAIN POINT. BUT. RIGHT
NOW, THIS IS THE GOVERNOR'S
BUDGET AND THE, LEGISLATURE IS
OBVIOUSLY WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT,
BUT WE TAKE SORT OF THE HEAT FOR
THE GOVERNOR'S. SOME OF THESE
PROPOSALS. AND I WAS HERE
ACTUALLY, AS A STAFF PERSON,
DURING I THINK THE LONGEST
BUDGET, HOLDOUT IN THE HISTORY
OF THE STATE. AND SO I
UNDERSTAND THERE ARE SOME HARD
DECISIONS THAT HAVE TO BE MADE,
YOU KNOW, JUST CHECKING OFF SOME
OF THE CONCERNS. I'M VERY
CONCERNED ABOUT $1.7 BILLION IN
IN, CUTS TO VARIOUS HOUSING
PROGRAMS. I MEAN, I REALLY DON'T
FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THAT
SHOULD COME WITH A WAIVER OF,
LIKE, RINA ENFORCEMENT OR
SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BECAUSE
THERE'S 0% CHANCE. I MEAN, THERE
ARE VERY FEW POLICIES THAT HAVE
COME FROM THE GOVERNOR TO HELP
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS MEET THEIR
HOUSING GOALS, MOST OF THAT HAS
ACTUALLY COME FROM THE
LEGISLATURE AND WORK THAT WE'VE
DONE. THERE HAVE BEEN SOME
THINGS, BUT I DON'T THINK
THERE'S ANY CHANCE THAT THEY'RE
GOING TO MEET THE HOUSING GOALS
WITHOUT, YOU KNOW, ASSISTANCE
FROM THE STATE. AND I THINK 1.7
BILLION IN CUTS IS KIND OF A
LOT. YOU KNOW, THAT'S A LOT OF
MONEY. SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE
SHOULD REALLY CONSIDER THE
SERIOUSNESS THAT THE
ADMINISTRATION HAS ON MEETING
OUR HOUSING OBLIGATIONS, BECAUSE
I'M NOT SEEING IT REFLECTED INTO
THE BUDGET, JUST LAST YEAR, THIS
LEGISLATURE APPROVED, I CAN JUST
NAME TWO BILLS, 5 TO $7 BILLION
IN NEW PROGRAMS AND ON TWO
PIECES OF LEGISLATION. AND, YOU
KNOW, THE GOVERNOR SAID IT'S A
STATEMENT OF VALUES. AND SO, YOU
KNOW, WE'RE NOT CONSIDERING
THOSE TRANCHES OF MONEY. SO, SO
A LOT OF CONCERNS ABOUT ABOUT
THAT. WE HEARD A LOT ON ARTS,
VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT AS
WELL. THE RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT TAX CREDIT. I GOT A
TON OF CONCERNS. I MEAN, BOSTON,
I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO
BOSTON AND CHECK OUT WHAT
THEY'RE DOING OVER THERE FOR
BIOTECH. AND A LOT OF THE
COMPANIES ARE ALREADY SETTING UP
A PRESENCE THERE. SO I GET
CONCERNED ABOUT THE LONG TERM
EFFECTS OF THAT, AND I THINK
FINALLY, JUST LOOKING AT MY
NOTES HERE, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY,
FOSTER CARE, VERY CONCERNED
ABOUT HOW WE'RE TREATING FOSTER
CARE, THE DEVELOPMENTALLY
DISABLED, AS WELL. SO THAT'S NOT
REALLY THIS COMMITTEE, BUT,
FINALLY, I WANT TO END WITH, ONE
MORE THING NOT PREVALENT, NOT
RELEVANT TO THIS COMMITTEE PER
SE, BUT THE MCO TAX AND JUST HOW
THAT'S, BEING RESTRUCTURED TO
ESSENTIALLY BE TAKEN OUT OF
HEALTH CARE. I MEAN, PEOPLE
AREN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO
ACCESS MEDICARE MEDI-CAL
SERVICES, IF WE'RE JUST
BALANCING THE BUDGET ON THE
BACKS OF, OF MEDI-CAL PATIENTS.
SO WITH THAT, I YIELD THE
REMAINDER OF MY TIME. AND THANK
YOU FOR GIVING ME A WEDNESDAY
TIRADE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER PATTERSON. ALL
RIGHT, WE HAVE BEEN JOINED AGAIN
BY ASSEMBLY MEMBER WARD, WHO I
KNOW HAS SOME COMMENTS AND
QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, MADAM
CHAIR. AND, JUST KIND OF ALSO AS
A OVERVIEW, COMMENTS AND WITHIN
THE PURVIEW OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE,
YOU KNOW, WE'VE, BEEN SITTING
THROUGH OUR, OUR INDIVIDUAL
DEPARTMENTAL HEARINGS AND, HAD
KIND OF THE OVERVIEW AFTER THE
MAY REVISE. AND I DON'T HAVE
ANYTHING TERRIBLY MORE TO ADD
OTHER THAN, YOU KNOW, GETTING,
GETTING CONTINUING TO UNDERSCORE
MY JUST DEEP FRUSTRATION AND
DISAPPOINTMENT, THIS SHOULD BE
OUR ONLY CHOICES IN FRONT OF US,
THE TRADE OFFS AND, THE
STATEMENT OF VALUES THAT WE HAVE
THROUGH THIS BUDGET THAT SOMEHOW
WE'RE NOT ADDRESSING THE BIGGEST
PROBLEM THAT CALIFORNIANS TELL
US THAT WE HAVE AROUND
AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND
HOMELESSNESS, IS NOT CONSISTENT
WITH THE OPTIONS THAT ARE IN
FRONT OF US. AND WE'VE GOT TO
DIG DEEPER AND FIND OTHER
OPTIONS. I'M GRATEFUL SOME OF
THOSE HAVE BEEN AFFORDED THROUGH
THE MAY REVISION, YOU KNOW, ALL
OF THESE ARE BAD TRADE OFFS. AND
IF SOMETHING HAS TO GIVE AND IF
WE'RE LOOKING AT THE MIDDLE MILE
BROADBAND, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT I
VERY MUCH SUPPORT AND WAS HAPPY
TO VOTE FOR, IN RECENT YEARS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, GIVEN THE TRADE
OFF THAT WE HAVE ABOUT DOING
LEAST HARM, I SUPPOSE THROUGH
OUR OUR ULTIMATE BUDGET THAT WE
THAT WE WOULD ADOPT THIS YEAR,
YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THINGS THAT
ARE COUNTERBALANCED, THAT I
WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SEEN GONE
BACK INTO HOUSING AND MAYBE NOT
DISAPPEAR SOMEWHERE ELSE, INTO
THE BUDGET THROUGH THIS
SUBCOMMITTEE, YOU KNOW. YES,
WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT, I'M
GOING TO SORT OF BRING TOGETHER,
YOU KNOW, BOTH OUR SMALL
BUSINESS, RESOURCES AS WELL AS
THE ARTS COUNCIL. AGAIN, THESE
ARE, DECISIONS THAT WE HAVE THAT
ARE, I MENTIONED BEFORE, PENNY
WISE, POUND FOOLISH, FOR, FOR,
FOR JUST SEEDS OF INVESTMENT
THAT THE STATE CAN MAKE THE
IMPACT AND THE INFLUENCE THAT
THIS CAN HAVE FOR LOCAL
ORGANIZATIONS AND FOR, ECONOMIC
ACTIVITY IS, IS, IS INCREDULOUS.
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE'RE BEING EFFECTIVE WITH, WITH
OUR DECISIONS, AND TO THAT TO
THAT END TOO, AS WELL, VERY
SUPPORTIVE OF THE R&D TAX CREDIT
, THAT THE STATE HAS CONTINUED
TO MAKE BECAUSE WE KNOW THE
AMPLIFIED ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT
THAT HAS, WHICH OF COURSE, TURNS
AROUND TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THE
VERY TAX BASE THAT IS THE
FUNDAMENTALS OF, YOU KNOW, OUR
BASE REVENUES THAT WE HAVE FOR,
FOR OUTGOING YEARS, BUT BACK TO
HOUSING, YOU KNOW, THERE THERE
CONTINUES TO BE, IN MY MIND, NO
PROGRESS TOWARDS WHAT I WANT TO
SEE IN A FINAL BUDGET. I AM
GRATEFUL FOR, THE CONSIDERATION
OF THE, AND ENCOURAGE FOR THE
CONSIDERATION OF THE LOW INCOME
HOUSING TAX CREDIT RESTORATION.
THAT IS IMPORTANT AND CRITICAL,
BUT IT MUST BE PAIRED, WITH
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR THE
MULTIFAMILY HOUSING PROGRAM. IF
WE'RE REALLY GOING TO REACH SOME
OF THE DEEPLY AFFORDABLE, UNITS
AND, AND PRODUCTION THAT WE ALSO
NEED TO HAVE IN ALL OF OUR
COMMUNITIES, IT'S EMBARRASSING
THAT WE CAN'T EVEN, THINK ABOUT
$13.7 MILLION TO BE ABLE TO
SUPPORT THE YOUTH PROGRAMS THAT
HAVE HELPED, MEASURABLY, YOU
KNOW, MORE THAN A THOUSAND,
FORMERLY FOSTER YOUTH, WITH
THEIR STABILITY SO THAT WITH ALL
THE COMPLICATIONS IN THEIR LIVES
THAT THEY'RE NOT FALLING INTO
HOMELESSNESS, AGAIN, LITTLE
INVESTMENTS BY THE STATE THAT
MATTER SO MUCH, AND OTHERWISE,
YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT. THOSE
INVESTMENTS THERE WOULD CAUSE AN
INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF STRAIN ON
PUBLIC RESOURCES, YOU KNOW,
WE'VE GOT TO GO BACK TO THE
TABLE AND THINK ABOUT SOME OF
THESE OTHER TRADE OFFS THAT THAT
WE THAT WE HAVE EITHER WITHIN
THE PURVIEW OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE
OR AS THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
BUDGET, THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO BE
ABLE TO REPLENISH SOME OF THESE,
RESOURCES. SO AGAIN, IF I HAD TO
PRIORITIZE, BECAUSE WE'VE HAD A
LOT OF PROGRAMS OUT THERE AND
ALMOST ALL OF THEM ARE,
SUBSTANTIALLY OR IF NOT
COMPLETELY EVISCERATED, WE KNOW
THAT REAP AND HARP FUNDING,
MATTER A LOT TO OUR REGIONS AND
TO OUR BIG CITIES AND THEY'RE
FLEXIBLE, AND WE ARE DOING A
BETTER JOB. I APPRECIATE AS
WELL, I THINK, AN UPDATE IN OUR
BACKGROUND HERE TODAY THAT WE'RE
GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THE
HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS
ACCOUNTABILITY RESULTS IN
PARTNERSHIP. I THINK THAT THIS
IS AN ACTION THAT WE CAN TAKE
THAT WILL DO EXACTLY WHAT WE'VE
BEEN TALKING ABOUT IN RECENT
WEEKS TO INCREASE OUR
ACCOUNTABILITY OF THESE LIMITED
DOLLARS THAT ARE OUT THERE AND
IMPROVE UPON ACCOUNTABILITY
SYSTEMS. SO I LIKE THE DIRECTION
THAT THAT'S GOING AS SORT OF A
POLICY ANGLE, BUT, WE'RE STILL
GOING TO NEED THE BUDGET TO BE
ABLE TO BACK IT UP AND CONTINUE
TO BE ABLE TO SEND DOWN TO OUR
LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO PUT OUT TO
GOOD USE. SO REAP AND HARP, AND
THEN ON THE HOUSING SIDE,
WORKING ON MULTI FAMILY HOUSING
PROGRAM, AND, YOU KNOW, IF WE
CAN LOOK AT A COUPLE OF THE
OTHERS AS WELL TOO, YOU KNOW
THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD BE
GENEROUS, BUT I WOULD JUST KIND
OF START THERE IS, YOU KNOW,
MAYBE A PRIORITY FOR RESTORATION
, AS WE'RE LOOKING AT OTHER WAYS
TO BE ABLE TO, MOVE, HAVE,
BUDGET DOLLARS OVER FROM, MAYBE
A PROGRAM WE HAVEN'T THOUGHT
ABOUT YET OR WE HAVEN'T REVIEWED
YET, TO BE ABLE TO BACKFILL SOME
OF THESE, VERY DRACONIAN DEEP
CUTS. SO THOSE WOULD BE MY KIND
OF OVERARCHING GUIDING VALUES AS
WE HEAD INTO THESE FINAL WEEKS.
THANK YOU, ASSEMBLY MEMBER WARD.
AND THANK YOU TO SOME MEMBER
PATTERSON, BEFORE I MAKE MY
COMMENTS, I DO WANT TO THANK
OUR, COMMITTEE CONSULTANTS HERE
WHO STAY UP AT NIGHT DREAMING
ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO BALANCE
THIS BUDGET AGAIN TO THE DOF AND
THE LÀ Ó. I KNOW, THIS IS YOUR
FAVORITE TIME OF YEAR, AND YOU,
JUST, DREAM ABOUT ALL THE WAYS
TO BALANCE THIS BUDGET. BUT
SERIOUSLY, I KNOW IT'S HEART
WRENCHING. I WILL JUST MAKE
THESE MACRO COMMENTS, WHICH IS,
CONCURRING WITH, OUR TWO
COMMITTEE MEMBERS HERE. THIS
INDEED IS THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET.
AND THROUGH THE SENATE PROCESS,
THROUGH THE ASSEMBLY PROCESS, WE
WILL CONTINUE TO NEGOTIATE TILL
THE LAST MOMENT BEFORE WE GO TO
PRINT ON THIS. OBVIOUSLY, FOR
THOSE HERE THAT ARE JOINING US
OR ANY, INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE
WATCHING, THESE THERE ARE
COMPETING INTERESTS WHEN YOU
HAVE A SLIM BUDGET, MEANING THAT
FOR SOME OF YOU WHO ARE
ATTENDING BUDGET HEARINGS,
PERHAPS FOR THE FIRST TIME,
YOU'RE BEING MADE AWARE OF
HOUSING PROGRAMS THAT YOU MAY
NOT HAVE EVER HEARD OF, FOSTER
CARE PROGRAMS THAT MAYBE YOU
HAVEN'T HEARD OF, SMALL BUSINESS
PROGRAMS THAT YOU DIDN'T KNOW
EXISTED, INVESTMENTS IN
CALIFORNIA FOR FROM RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT AND, SO FORTH. BAD
DEBT. SOME OF YOU MAY NOT HAVE
HAVE HEARD OF THIS OR INTERFACE.
AND AGAIN, THERE WERE A FEW
TIMES, EVEN WHEN OUR, ASSEMBLY
MEMBER PAPPIN WAS HERE SPEAKING
TO DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE, I FELT
LIKE WE ALMOST NEEDED SOME
CHARTS AND FLOW CHARTS AND
AGAIN, ALSO ON OTHER ITEMS,
BECAUSE THESE ARE COMPLEX FISCAL
ITEMS THAT MOST OF US DON'T DEAL
WITH IN OUR DAILY LIVES. SO
BRINGING IT BACK TO WHAT DO OUR
CONSTITUENTS, WHAT DO WE DEAL
WITH? WE DEAL WITH MOSTLY WITH
WHAT WE SEE, WHAT WE SEE AND
HEAR ABOUT IN CALIFORNIA AND
HAVE HAD A STEADY, DRUMBEAT NOW
FOR A GOOD HANDFUL OF YEARS. IS
WHY IS CALIFORNIA NOT SOLVING
OUR HOUSING PROBLEMS? AND WHY
DOES HOMELESSNESS CONTINUE TO
RISE? NOW YOU HAVE HEARD ME
SPEAK ABOUT THIS SEVERAL TIMES
IN THESE COMMITTEE HEARINGS, BUT
I GUARANTEE YOU THAT THOSE TWO
ISSUES AFFECT EVERYTHING ELSE
THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. SO IF
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT INVESTMENTS
IN THE ARTS, IF PEOPLE WANT TO
BRING THEATER AND MUSIC AND ALL
OF THESE GOODNESS TO OUR
COMMUNITY, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE
SECOND THOUGHTS. IF THEY SEE
HOMELESS PEOPLE RIGHT IN FRONT
OF A THEATER OR A BUSINESS, IF
SMALL BUSINESS WANTS TO SET UP,
WHETHER IT'S A TAQUERIA OR
WHETHER IT'S A ALTERATIONS,
WHATEVER THE BUSINESS IS, WHAT
HAPPENS ON THE STREETS OF
CALIFORNIA IMPACT BUSINESS. IF
WE HAVE TOURISM IN CALIFORNIA,
WHICH IS A VERY BRIGHT SPOT
SINCE THE PANDEMIC, WE'VE BEEN
TOLD TOURISM IS BACK. AND YET I
REPRESENT DISNEYLAND, KNOTT'S
BERRY FARM AND MY VERY OWN
DISTRICT, AND WE KNOW THAT WHEN
PEOPLE COME FROM OTHER STATES TO
CALIFORNIA OR OTHER COUNTRIES,
THEY'RE OFTEN SHOCKED. AND
ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE GREAT
EXPERIENCES FROM SAN DIEGO TO
YOSEMITE TO OUR BEACHES, THERE
IS STILL THAT LINGERING ITEM OF
WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE IN
CALIFORNIA THAT WE CANNOT SOLVE.
THIS PROBLEM. THIS BRINGS BACK
TO THE ITEM OF THIS BUDGET WE
KNOW CAN COMPLETELY DECIMATE THE
PROGRESS WE ARE MAKING. ALL
THOSE SLOW ON HOUSING PRODUCTION
STILL STEPS FORWARD. IF WE CUT
THESE PROGRAMS, REAP 2.0 H HAP
THE MULTIFAMILY HOUSING DOLLARS
OUR HOUSING NAVIGATORS FOR OUR
FOSTER YOUTH. WE WILL BE GOING
BACK WAS BACKWARDS BY LEAPS AND
BOUNDS. AND I CAN TELL YOU
EVERYBODY WHO IS THINKING. BUT
WHAT ABOUT MY PROGRAM? WE WILL,
IN FACT, BE IMPACTED, AFFECTING
YOUR PROGRAMS BY NOT INVESTING
IN HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING, SO
WE'VE HEARD A STEADY DRUM HERE
OF LOCAL CITIES, COUNTIES,
REGIONAL PLANNING AREAS SAYING
WE NEED THESE DOLLARS TO
CONTINUE OUR INVESTMENT. SO I
WOULD SAY, OF COURSE, THAT IS A
TOP PRIORITY FOR ME. BUT THERE'S
OTHER AREAS THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK
AT. WE MUST LOOK AT THESE
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
DOLLARS. OUR INVESTMENT, OUR
SMALL BUSINESSES. WE MUST FIGURE
OUT WAYS TO NOT WIPE OUT AND
CLEAR PROGRAMS OUT, POSSIBLY.
Kò, OF COURSE, DO SOME, SLOWING
DOWN OF DOLLARS OR DELAYING. BUT
WHEN WE WIPE OUT PROGRAMS, WE
FIND THAT WE OFTEN NEVER SEE
THEM RETURN. THAT DOES NOT MEAN
THERE ARE SOME THAT WE CANNOT
RETAIN. ALL OF THE PROGRAMS THAT
HAVE BEEN PROPOSED, I WOULD SAY,
AGAIN, THERE ARE FEW ISSUES THAT
COME TO THE TOP, AGAIN, I SEE MY
FRIEND FROM MIDDLE MILE HERE. I
KNOW THAT, THAT'S BEEN A LITTLE
BIT OF KIND OF LIKE. WELL, LET'S
TAKE IT FROM MIDDLE MILE, I
THINK THE REASON MIDDLE MILE
CONTINUES TO COME UP ACROSS THE
STATE IS THERE WAS AN INFUSION
OF SEVERAL BILLIONS OF DOLLARS,
AND ONE OF THE KIND OF OUTLIERS
IN THIS BUDGET SEEMS TO BE THAT
WE WERE INITIALLY TALKING ABOUT
ADDING ANOTHER 1.5 BILLION, I
KNOW, THROUGH OR SINCE THE MAY
REVISE. NOW THERE IS A LINE ITEM
THAT SAYS, WELL, WE THINK WE
HAVE THE FUNDING THAT WE NEED
FOR MIDDLE MILE, BUT THEN THERE
IS THE TRIGGER PART THAT SEEMS A
LITTLE ASTONISHING, SO AGAIN,
WANTING ACCESS FOR ALL, FOR
INTERNET, WE SAW THAT THROUGH
THE PANDEMIC. IT'S INCREDIBLY
IMPORTANT. ON THE OTHER HAND,
WEIGHING THOSE PRIORITIES, IS
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. SO SEEING
THE 1.5 BILLION ADDITIONAL
DOLLARS TO ME, STANDS OUT AND I
WOULD SAY THAT WE NEED TO LOOK
AT THAT, BECAUSE IF WE END UP
LEAVING 1.5 BILLION IN, OUR
DISCRETION, WE FUND THAT, IN
FACT, COULD BE FUNDING OTHER
PARTS OF THE BUDGET THAT WE SO
DESPERATELY NEED. ARTS COUNCIL,
WE HAVE, SO MANY ADVOCATES OF
ARTS THAT HAVE COME TO TALK TO
US. AND WE KNOW THAT THOSE
PROGRAMS REALLY MAKE THOSE
DIFFERENCES, WHETHER IT'S FROM,
OUR, AS SAID, YOU KNOW, ARTS,
MUSIC, THEATER, MUSEUMS, ALL OF
THESE TYPES OF, OF, PROGRAMS
THAT ARE IN OUR DISTRICT, WE
KNOW THEY WERE THE FIRST TO
CLOSE DOWN, FINALLY GOT SOME
INFUSION INTO THE BUDGET. AND
NOW WE'RE SAYING, IT'S TIME TO
SLOW THOSE DOWN, WE HAVE TO
WEIGH AS, MY COLLEAGUE SAID,
WHEN WE ARE LOOKING AT CLOSING
DOWN, ARE WE REALLY TAKING
INVESTMENT AWAY? WE KNOW THAT
PEOPLE COME INTO OUR COMMUNITIES
TO VISIT MUSEUMS, TO ATTEND
PERFORMANCES. THEY ARE GOING TO
DINNER, THEY'RE STAYING AT
HOTELS. BY PULLING THOSE
PROGRAMS BACK, WILL WE REALLY BE
LIMITING INVESTMENT IN
CALIFORNIA? SO AGAIN, WEIGHING
THE INVESTMENT DOLLARS IN
CALIFORNIA, NOT PUSHING PEOPLE
OUT OF OUR STATE, WHICH WE KNOW
WE ALL TOO OFTEN ARE HEARING
ABOUT THE HIGH TAX, ABOUT GAS
PRICES. HOW DO WE KEEP PEOPLE
HERE IN CALIFORNIA NOT ONLY TO
GO TO OUR BUSINESSES, BUT TO
INVEST AND TO OPEN BUSINESSES?
SO TO OUR SMALL BUSINESSES, WE
HEAR YOU. WE SEE YOU, WITH THAT,
I'M GOING TO, I THINK WRAP IT UP
HERE. WE HAVE A LOT IN FRONT OF
US. BUT IT HAS BEEN A COMPLETE
HONOR TO CHAIR THIS COMMITTEE
THIS YEAR. SOME OF YOU WHO
HAVEN'T FOLLOWED MY RESUME, I
BELIEVE THIS IS THE FIFTH
COMMITTEE I'VE CHAIRED, MAYBE
SIX, THAT I CHAIR A LOT OF
COMMITTEES FOR A SHORT TIME, BUT
I HAVE THOROUGHLY ENJOYED THIS
PROCESS. I FIND IT FASCINATING
AGAIN, TO DEAL WITH LÀ Ó. WE
KNOW, THE WORK YOU DO, BECAUSE
THESE TWO TELL ME AND I SEE IT
LINE BY LINE. I FIND YOUR JOBS
FASCINATING, AND I THINK THEY
DESERVE A LITTLE CHAIR. SO I'M
GOING TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE CHAIR
OUT THERE, YOU WILL GET LESS
CHAIRS AS WE GO ALONG. AND I CAN
TELL YOU US ON THIS COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU FOR TALKING TO US. WE
APPRECIATE IT, BUT WE ARE NOT
THE SOLE VOTE, AND WHAT WILL
STAY IN THE BUDGET? WHAT WILL BE
MOVED OUT OF THE BUDGET? IT IS A
JOINT POLICY, GROUP BETWEEN
SENATE, THE ASSEMBLY AND THE
GOVERNOR'S TEAM. SO PLEASE TALK
TO ALL YOUR COUNTERPARTS. BUT
I'VE SEEN SOME OF SEVERAL OF THE
FACES HERE FROM THE CONSTRUCTION
PROGRAMS, AND YOU HAVE COME TO
TALK TO US, AND IT MEANS A LOT.
AND I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH ON THIS
COMMITTEE, AND WE WILL, DO OUR
BEST TO GET AS FAR AS WE CAN
WITH THE DOLLARS WE HAVE. THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.