SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D-San Jose) provided the following statement in response to the announcement of Governor Gavin Newsom’s 2019-20 Proposed Budget:
“What the Governor introduced today is a budget that prioritizes the values of California; one of inclusivity, education, value of work and the working class, and opportunity for all. I am particularly appreciative of Governor Newsom’s attention to pay down the state’s debt, help address local school district pension obligations, and ensure that we do not overlook the state’s unfunded liabilities.
“Although our state faces a promising economic outlook, it is shadowed by the actions of the White House and the Federal Government shutdown. This budget is a thoughtful yet prudent fiscal document that helps California prepare for possible economic reverberations but plans for our future.
“As Chair of the Assembly Labor and Employment Committee, I am excited about the Governor’s actions to expand worker benefits and protections, including expanding and extending Paid Family Leave for California’s working families, rebranding and expanding the state’s Earned Income Tax Credit, and ensuring that Federal employees impacted by the current Federal Government shutdown have expeditious access to their entitled unemployment benefits.
“I applaud the Governor for his thoughtful, deliberative, and progressive approach to our state budget.”
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