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Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris, Chair of the Accountability & Administrative Review Committee, released the following statement in response to Governor Gavin Newsom’s proposed 2023-2024 State Budget:
“The Governor’s budget proposal comes during a moment of challenge and opportunity as we continue to navigate supply chain crisis, rampant inflation and economic downturn. The good news is that California is well-positioned to weather this storm – we have been preparing for a rainy day – to ensure budget resilience.
“We have the highest reserves in history, providing an important cushion against a potential downturn. We have spent the last decade shoring up our rainy day fund and reserves so we won’t need to raise taxes and we can still invest in programs that are proven to work.
“This budget keeps the promises that we have made to Californians, protecting investments in education, housing and homelessness, climate solutions and public safety. Over the last two years, we have been blessed with enormous budget surpluses – made historic investments to California’s most intractable challenges. This Budget’s focus on climate resilience, our most pressing crisis, will protect millions of Californians in perpetuity, as we invest in coastal protection, wildfire prevention and the circular economy. We must meet this moment and stick to the timeline of our clean energy goals.
“As Chair of the Chair of the Accountability & Administrative Review Committee, I particularly appreciated the Governor’s focus on accountability. I remain committed to ensuring that California taxpayer dollars are being used effectively and accountability measures are attached to these significant budget investments. I will continue to advocate paying off our debts, especially one of the greatest looming threats to our economy – the Unemployment Insurance Fund debt. This helps small businesses stay in the black and avoids them having to pay increased payroll taxes.
“But writing the check is the easy part. Now the legislature must double down and focus on accountability, oversight and implementation to ensure that historic investments deliver historic results, and position California for growth and prosperity for generations to come.
“It is an honor to be trusted to serve Orange County in the State Assembly during this time and represent our community’s concerns. I am grateful to partner with my constituents, community leaders and with our state and local elected officials, to ensure California remains a special place to live, work and raise a family. This state budget will improve the lives of all Californians.”
Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris has authored legislation to support California’s small businesses, to safeguard the California coast, to expand our medical workforce and to incentivize economic development. In last year’s budget, the Assemblywoman championed critical investments in Orange County, including funding for mental health services, increasing and diversifying the STEM workforce, wildfire prevention and emergency response.
The full summary of the Governor’s budget proposal can be found at http://www.ebudget.ca.gov. The California Constitution requires the Budget Act be approved by June 15, 2023.
