State Assembly Republicans Release 2022 Budget Priorities

State Assembly Republicans Release 2022 Budget Priorities

With Governor Gavin Newsom expected to announce his budget proposal on Monday, California Republicans in the state assembly have released where they believe the funding should go.

The full release from the office of Assemblymember and Budget Committee Vice-Chair Vince Fong can be seen below:

SACRAMENTO – Today [Tuesday], Assembly Republican Leader Marie Waldron (Valley Center) and Assembly Budget Committee Vice-Chair Vince Fong (R-Kern County) called on Governor Newsom to propose a budget that makes smart investments to address some of California’s most pressing issues. In a letter to the Governor, Waldron and Fong urged a budget that addresses California’s affordability, crime and supply chain crises, puts parents in charge of their children’s educations, updates state infrastructure, invests in wildfire prevention and response, supports Californians struggling with mental illness and homelessness, and provides permanent tax relief.

“With his upcoming budget proposal, Governor Newsom faces a choice,” said Waldron. “A business-as-usual budget that will continue forcing taxpayers to spend more and get less, or a reform-minded plan that will deliver a safe and affordable California for all. These common-sense requests from my colleagues and I will help California finally meet its true potential.”

“The Governor must prioritize state spending on long-term investing that creates and retains jobs – building water storage, modernizing the supply chain and permanent tax relief are crucial to the state’s economic viability,” said Fong. “Rising crime and education concerns also weigh heavily on Californians looking for relief from the misguided policies he imposes. It’s time to focus on the concerns of everyday Californians.”

Waldron and Fong specifically called for:

  • Improved educational outcomes by increasing parental control at schools, support for students of public, charter and home-based schools, and mental health assistance for children.
  • Fully funding public safety by expanding the California Highway Patrol’s Organized Retail Theft Program and bringing accountability back to the criminal justice system.
  • Investing in wildfire prevention with ongoing funding for fuel reductions, wildfire prevention and response.
  • Building meaningful infrastructure, including water storage, supply chain infrastructure, road repair and projects to eliminate traffic congestion.
  • Making California more affordable through permanent tax relief, streamlined housing construction, paying down unemployment insurance debt and eliminating businesses’ state tax liability for federal COVID-relief funding they have received.
  • Addressing California’s mental health and homelessness crises by expanding treatment options for Substance Use Disorder and eliminating barriers to treating people who are incapable of asking for help.