Senator Cortese’s Statement on Governor’s 2022-23 State Budget Proposal

Senator Dave Cortese (D-Silicon Valley), who serves on the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee as well as Chair of the Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement Committee, made the following statement regarding California Governor Gavin Newsom’s proposed state budget for the 2022-23 fiscal year, including plans for California’s budget surplus that the Legislative Analyst's Office projects to be $31 billon. The 2022-23 fiscal year begins on July 1^st, 2022, and the final budget must be approved by June 15^th after deliberations with the State Legislature.  

“California must recognize our second year of historically high budget surpluses as a critical opportunity to stabilize and strengthen our local communities rebuilding from the pandemic through greater investments in our children and families.

Many families are still enduring the health impacts of COVID-19, with our frontline workforce and health departments being stretched thin. I strongly support and applaud the Governor’s proposed early budget action of $2.7 billion to enhance our public health infrastructure and rapidly expand access to COVID-19 response, testing, and vaccinations in partnership with local health departments across the state as well as the proposed expansion of Medi-Cal coverage to all income-eligible Californian’s regardless of their immigration status. As Senate Labor Chair, I look forward to working with my colleagues and our Governor to implement paid sick leave policies to protect workers impacted by COVID-19 as outlined in today’s announcement, especially in light of the surge in cases we have seen from the Omicron variant.

Our students, teachers, and staff have confronted dramatic changes in their classrooms and education system due to COVID-19, and I am encouraged to see innovative investments in learning recovery to ensure our children don’t fall behind. We know that early learning is key to a child’s successful learning outcomes and lifelong development - that is why I strongly back the proposed increased funding for early education, including universal transitional kindergarten, the State Preschool Program, and – given my authorship of SB 692, the Special Education Inclusion Act – the Inclusive Early Education Expansion Program to support an inclusive education for students with disabilities.  

As a member of California’s Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission, the Senate Mental Health Caucus, and the Senate Select Committee on Mental Health and Addiction, I am dedicated to improving how we help those struggling with their mental health, especially our student community. I am encouraged by State Superintendent Tony Thurmond’s proposal to add 10,000 more mental health clinicians into our school system to serve students where they are, and I look forward to working with him and our Governor to prioritize school-based mental health centers and support systems this year.

Due to the worsening impacts of climate change, California experienced its second driest year on record in 2021. We are in the midst of our worst drought since the late 1800’s. I fully support boosted spending in drought response and wildfire prevention in the face of our climate emergency, including the Governor’s proposed $750 million of one-time dollars towards water conservation and replenishment efforts to aid communities that are most affected by our historic drought.

The state must support a transition to clean energy sources without leaving behind our workers. I strongly support addressing and advancing the needs of our workers and am encouraged to see multiple proposed investments to support displaced oil and gas workers, including education, training, and workforce transition programs. We must continue to prioritize tangible climate workforce pathways.

Targeted resources are needed to move people from insecure conditions into safe and stable housing. I am pleased to see outlined in this proposal expanded investments to tackle homelessness and increase housing and especially affordable housing in our state, providing a total of $9 billion towards housing and $8 billion towards addressing homelessness.  

While we have a healthy budget outlook this year, we must also keep in mind that these conditions won’t be permanent and take action to shore up our reserve accounts in preparation of tighter budget years ahead.

It is our primary responsibility to stabilize families that have been devastated by COVID-19 without sacrificing the important services provided by the state.

And with our historic surplus, I am confident that we will enact another responsible state budget guided by the shared goals and values of Californians.

I am encouraged by this proposal and look forward to working with my colleagues and Governor Newsom to reach an agreement on a responsible and transformative budget that will address the most fundamental needs of our communities across California while safeguarding our state’s economic strength and fiscal stability.”