Date: May 14, 2015
MEDIA ADVISORY
May 14, 2015
Contact: Isabel Alegría, 415-431-7434; ialegria@publicadvocates.org
Public Advocates Response to May State Budget Revise
Today, Governor Jerry Brown released his revised budget proposal for the state of California, including $169 billion in total state spending. The budget revision will be reviewed by legislators over the next few months, leading up to the adoption of a spending plan expected in June.
The following is a statement by Guillermo Mayer, President and CEO of Public Advocates, which works in partnership with grassroots organizations in California to win equitable access to quality education, affordable housing, reliable public transportation and a sustainable environment for low-income Californians:
“In light of today’s budget news, it’s imperative that California redouble its efforts to open up greater opportunities for its most vulnerable residents. Governor Brown’s May Revise is a step in the right direction. In particular, we applaud the $6.1 billion more for K-12 education than he proposed in January. For too many California school children, the dream of a better future is hindered by a legacy of inadequate school funding. While this remains a harsh reality, the Governor’s proposal to expedite implementation of the Local Control Funding Formula is good news to the millions of low-income students, English Learners and foster youth who dream of college and a career.
We also applaud the Governor’s enhanced support for climate investments in disadvantaged and other communities, including at least $400 million for affordable housing and sustainable communities and $100 million for more frequent transit service. These investments will benefit millions of low-income Californians who have endured pollution, environmental degradation and neglect for too long. By investing in our most vulnerable residents, we build a brighter future for everyone. We look forward to working with the Governor and the legislature to strengthen these investments.”
Public Advocates is a non-profit civil rights law firm and advocacy organization that challenges the systemic causes of poverty and discrimination. A leader in seeing that California implements its education reform effort under the new Local Control Funding Formula, Public Advocates has a pending lawsuit on behalf of community organizations representing a half a million California parents and students to ensure that the state provides enough school funding for all students to obtain a quality education. Public Advocates also leads efforts to bring about equitable and environmentally sustainable communities through community-led regional planning and increased state investments in disadvantaged neighborhoods.
###
