Sacramento- Governor Gavin Newsom signed the Budget Act of 2020. This Budget is a joint effort from both houses and the Governor, taking into account the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on our current economy. With this challenge at hand, the official 2020-2021 Budget aims to get California on solid footing as the state enters difficult economic times, all while prioritizing values and the most vulnerable populations.
“Although we worked with an abbreviated timeframe the integrity and responsibility of our proposal has been maintained throughout the process. We all had a tough job, working with a $54 billion shortfall but everyone has stepped up to the plate to make sure we do not make conditions worse. We know we will continue to work on Budget actions throughout the year due to the ongoing devastating impacts of COVID-19.”
The Budget protects critical safety net programs for childcare providers, service providers for the developmentally disabled, IHSS providers, health and dental care services for the poor, CalWORKS, stable funding for k-12 education and affordable housing. As Chair of the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee Senator Mitchell personally blocked cuts to Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital in South Los Angeles.
“South LA relies on MLKCH to keep them alive. I know if the proposed cuts were made, it would result in advanced disease, poor outcomes and higher mortality rates throughout South LA.”
Additional details regarding the 2020 Budget Act can be found in the Department of Finance’s Enacted Budget Summary, located at www.ebudget.ca.gov.