State Senate Minority Leader Jean Fuller of Bakersfield is speaking out against the Managed Care Organization (MCO) finance reform and other proposals in Governor Brown’s State of the State Address.

Fuller believes the revised MCO proposal to expand Medi-Cal through added costs on private health plans is a tax that regular people cannot afford. Brown, meanwhile, stressed Thursday he does not believe the increased costs mean a tax increase for Californians.

Fuller also believes Brown’s climate change proposals, including the recently passed Senate Bill 350 which requires 50% of California’s energy to come from renewable resources by 2030, mean many locals would lose their jobs.

The Senator did praise Brown’s efforts to reach across the aisle and for committing to investing in the state’s infrastructure. But she added that Republicans would like to see the gas tax go towards funding that project, whereas Brown wants a one time investment of $2 Billion from the state’s budget surplus to fix structures.

Kelli Forsch