(SACRAMENTO, CA) – The California State Assembly today approved the 2017-18 State Budget Act, which is on-time, balanced and makes historic, progressive investments in public education, the environment, healthcare, infrastructure and public safety. The Assembly approved the Budget Act on a vote of 59 to 20. Earlier in the day, the State Senate approved the 2017-18 Budget Act on a vote of 28 to 10.
The $184.5 billion budget includes record investments in early education, K-12 education and expands California student affordability and access to the UC, CSU and community college systems. The budget also includes a record $9.9 billion reserve and Rainy Day Fund to responsibly prepare for an unforeseen economic downturn.
Additional budget highlights include K-14 Prop. 98 funding of $74.5 billion; $50 million in ongoing funding for the After School Education and Safety Program; $546 million from Proposition 56 to increase provider rates for Medi-Cal doctors, dentists and increases funding for family planning services; $45 million to assist non-citizens with immigration related legal support via non-profit organizations; $20 million to support homeless youth & victims of human trafficking; expanding the California Earned Income Tax Credit to include the self-employed and those who make up to $22,000 per year and establishing new legislative oversight for the Board of Equalization (BOE) and implementing needed reforms to ensure that the BOE is accountable to taxpayers and the public.
The Sacramento area, represented by McCarty, scored a number of significant wins in this year’s budget including $14 million for the design of a new Superior Courthouse in Sacramento; $10 million to support the special needs of refugee students; $1.9 million for the B Street Theatre to expand educational programs and become LEED certified; creating a framework for the state and City of Sacramento to develop a new R Street parking structure in downtown Sacramento and $1 million for the Lower American River Conservancy to protect and enhance the Lower American River in Sacramento.
Following passage of the budget, Assemblymember Kevin McCarty (D - Sacramento) released the following statement, “As Chair of the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance, I have worked diligently for the past six months with the Legislature, the Governor and the public to make critical investments in early education, K-12 education and higher education. Together, we honored the $500 million 2016 Early Care & Education deal to expand preschool and childcare slots and increase reimbursement rates along with providing an additional $25 million to update outdated eligibility standards; increased K-12 classroom spending to historic levels and allocated $30 million to train bilingual educators and help classified employees obtain their teaching credential.”
“Additionally, we were largely successful in approving the Degrees Not Debt budget package, which will help thousands of California students enroll in our state’s world-class higher education institutions and ease the burden of long term student debt,” continued McCarty. “Together, we increased Student Success & Community College Completion Grants by $50 million to cover rising costs of living for full time community college students, expanded UC enrollment for California students by 2,000, expanded CSU enrollment for California students by nearly 2,500, protected the Middle Class Scholarship, established needed oversight of the University of California Office of the President and dedicated $3 million to create the Every Kid Counts Act (EKCA). Following similarly successful programs in Sacramento and San Francisco, the EKCA will encourage low-income families throughout the state to open college savings accounts by providing up to $200 in dollar-for-dollar matching funds for each new account. Families that save for college are more likely to send their children to college and the EKCA will help thousands of California students achieve their educational goals.”
A full summary of the 2017-18 Budget Act can be viewed here: http://abgt.assembly.ca.gov/sites/abgt.assembly.ca.gov/files/Floor%20Report%20of%20the%202017-18%20Budget.pdf
The Budget Act now heads to Governor Jerry Brown for final action.
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Kevin McCarty represents California’s 7th Assembly District, which include the cities of Sacramento, West Sacramento and unincorporated Sacramento County. McCarty serves as Chair of the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance.
CONTACT: Terry Schanz, (916) 319-2007