California Budget Passes and Assembly Member Santiago Responds

(Los Angeles, CA) – Following the passage of the California budget, Assembly Member Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles) released the following statement:

“We must continue to work non-stop to alleviate poverty by investing in basic essentials that help ALL Californians weather increasing prices. That is why I am excited that $40 million was included to help expand food options Californians over 55, regardless of immigration status. I requested this because despite $31.5 billion budget deficit, we must continue to prioritize investments in programs that uplift our most vulnerable Californians.

I am apleased to see $67.3 million in funding to clean up 6,425 parkways polluted by the former Exide facility. We must expedite the clean-up and eliminate Exide’s disastrous effect on our community once and for all. Additionally, I am pleased to see $21 million total ($7 million per year for the next three years) to support human trafficking survivors. I requested this to ensure we are standing up for survivors of modern slavery.

We must work even harder for affordable healthcare and food for all, protect renters, increase historic funding levels to combat homelessness and the housing shortage with accountability and real results, fight pollution in our communities and to continue making higher education debt free for us.

A budget is a statement of our values and I am working to make sure we prioritize families and disadvantaged communities so they can afford food, housing, and gas. Let’s get to work!”

Assembly Member Miguel Santiago is the Chair of the Assembly Committee on Governmental Organization. He represents the 54^th District composed of the cities of Los Angeles, Commerce, Montebello, and Vernon.

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