For Immediate Release
MENLO PARK – Governor Gavin Newsom’s proposed budget invests in our state’s sustainability and resilience on every level, while projecting a $45.7 billion surplus that includes $20.4B in uncommitted funds and maintaining healthy reserves.
I’m particularly excited about $22.5 billion in Climate Action investments, including $6.1 billion proposed over a 5-year period to catalyze transition to Zero-Emissions Vehicles, and $2 billion in Clean Energy investments to advance building and industry decarbonization, wind energy, long-duration energy storage and more. The Governor’s economic opportunity investments include $500 million for climate-workforce development. These investments signal an important effort to make greener homes, cars and jobs more accessible to lower-income Californians so everyone can participate in our state’s transition to a clean energy future.
Education funding also rises for another consecutive year under the Governor’s proposal, another major plus. Per pupil spending would increase to an unprecedented $20,855, of which $15,261 per pupil is in Prop. 98 funds. Overall, the proposed $102 billion in Prop. 98 education funding is the highest in state history. LCFF would get 5.33% cost of living adjustment. Early childhood education also gets a major boost with $1 billion for universal pre-K, $780 million for early literacy and $824 million for added childcare slots.
Transportation investments include a proposed $750 million for bike-pedestrian-and-community connectivity projects, $500 million for grade separations for safety and to ease traffic congestion, and $400 million for climate adaptations – key areas of interest particularly for the Peninsula.
--Senator Josh Becker, D-Peninsula
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Images of the Governor’s proposed investments for Climate Action, Workforce Development and Transportation are available here:
https://twitter.com/SenJoshBecker/status/1480661408010309637
https://twitter.com/SenJoshBecker/status/1480680980922859521
Details of the Governor’s proposed budget are available here:
https://www.ebudget.ca.gov/budget/2022-23/#/BudgetSummary
Media Contact: Leslie Guevarra, 415-298-3404, leslie.guevarra@sen.ca.gov
Updated to correct time reference regarding ZEV investment.