The Assembly Democrats released their budget priorities this
week in an updated
Assembly Budget Blueprint. Similar to the
Senate plan released two weeks ago, this Assembly plan
reflects updated priorities for state investment in light of the
increased state budget surplus and new federal funding provided
by the American Rescue Plan. The Blueprint outlines
investments in all budget policy areas and focuses on four
goals of preserve, respond, protect, and recover. It also
indicates an effort to provide multi-year funding packages with
one-time federal and state funds.
While details are limited, the initial proposal supports CSAC
priorities through:
Unspecified investment in broadband infrastructure to
“eliminate gaps in service and make affordable.”
$20 billion in homelessness funding over the next five years
focusing on local opportunities, flexibility, and accountability
such as Project Homekey and HHAPP.
Funding to build a public health infrastructure and invest in
county public health staff in order to respond to pandemics,
improve population health, and maintain vigilance against
infectious diseases.
Respond to climate change by focusing funding on wildfire
prevention, drought resilience, and access to clean water, and
planning for heat impacts.
Fully fund the backlog of current grant applications in the
Active Transportation Program (ATP), which received requests for
over $2 billion from only $220 million in available funding.
Key investments to advance the implementation of the Master
Plan for Aging.
Additional housing investments in the form of down-payment
assistance for homeownership programs and funding for
shovel-ready affordable housing projects targeting low-income
residents.
Efforts to enhance environmental justice and increase access
to green spaces by remediating pollution and adding funding for
parks.
Unspecified additional support to small businesses and
nonprofits impacted by the pandemic.
With both houses of the Legislature now establishing their budget
priorities, attention will shift to the Governor and the release
of his May Revision in about two weeks. That will then set up an
intense month of negotiations between the Legislature and the
Governor to reach a final budget package by the June 15 deadline.
