SACRAMENTO – Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Laguna Beach), Chair of the Accountability & Administrative Review Committee, released the following statement in response to Governor Gavin Newsom’s proposed 2020-21 state budget:
“Every day, I talk to families, workers and small business owners who have been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2020-21 state budget comes at a critical juncture; we must invest wisely in order to defeat this virus, provide much needed relief and set California on a robust path to recovery.
“In the Assembly, I have been working to stabilize small businesses and save jobs, to deliver benefits to unemployed workers and to get our kids back to school safely. I am gratified to see that many of these priorities are reflected in the Governor’s January budget proposal.
“Since the onset of the COVID crisis, I have been pushing for relief for California’s small businesses and the more than 10 million California workers they employ. Stabilizing small businesses is critical to the shape and speed of California’s economic recovery – and I am pleased that increased grants for small business is a shared priority in the Governor’s economic recovery package.
“It is also promising to see that the proposal includes investments to preserve California's competitiveness. As the Chair of the Accountability Committee, I know it’s best to not try to reinvent the wheel and rather, to use programs we know work, such as California’s Research & Development tax credit program. I look forward to working with my colleagues and the Governor’s team to ensure that we keep our state competitive and create more good paying jobs in California.
“As a mom, education is one of my top priorities and I know how important it is to get our kids back to school safely. I am pleased to see this budget proposal include a record level of investment in California kids, including early childhood education. I am very supportive of the Governor’s proposal to provide substantial state funding to support safe school opening, stem learning loss and help California students succeed.
“The Governor’s January budget proposal comes at a moment of profound challenge for our state – a raging pandemic, a pandemic induced recession and widespread unemployment. While there is still a long road ahead, the newly approved COVID-19 vaccines provide a light at the end of this tunnel. I am supportive of the $300 million-plus proposal for vaccine management to deliver an efficient and effective statewide distribution program.
“It is an honor to be trusted to serve Orange County in the State Assembly during this time of unprecedented challenge for California. And I will keep working with experts to beat COVID-19 and build back our community, stronger than before.”
During the 2019-2020 Session, Assemblywoman Petrie-Norris authored legislation to protect the California Coast from the threat of sea-level rise, keep good paying jobs in California and increase access to reproductive healthcare for California women. She has secured millions of dollars in state funding for important district initiatives, including a groundbreaking wildfire prevention and response program, coastal restoration projects and ending veteran homelessness in Orange County.
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, 2021.