San Mateo County lawmakers applaud budget’s housing, education priorities

Mullin looked to a more than $4 billion contribution toward the state’s growing pension obligations to afford school districts more flexibility in their budgets and also expected a $245 million proposal to establish child care facilities grants to help address a critical need for families across the state.

“This was a very good budget for families,” he said. “I think it was a very fiscally prudent budget but also a progressive one, and that’s always a balancing act.”

Assemblyman Marc Berman, D-Palo Alto, was also encouraged by the budget’s comprehensive approach to investing in the University of California, California State University and California Community Colleges systems. With additional funding allocated in the 2019-20 budget toward increasing capacity in the UC and CSU systems and more than $40 million pegged for community colleges to waive second-year tuition and fees for eligible students, the budget accounted for increased demand for enrollment at institutions of higher education, noted Berman.

He also looked to funding dedicated toward student support services to begin to address the challenges many face with regard to homelessness and food insecurity.

“[These are] good investments on the education side and then it also includes important investments on the basic needs side,” he said.

With the housing crisis looming over residents in his district, Berman commended efforts to peg some $500 million toward infill development, which he expected to boost the region’s stock of affordable housing near transit. He and Mullin also voiced support for the some $650 million pegged to support cities address the growing number of homeless residents across the state.

While Mullin was disappointed efforts to re-establish redevelopment agencies and restore local funding sources for affordable housing did not gain traction this year, he lauded efforts to prioritize the expansion of low-income tax credits and housing-related infrastructure in this year’s budget.

“The homelessness issue is one that persists and it really requires a fundamental rethinking of how we are addressing those issues,” he said.

While Berman was pleased to see more than $80 million more appropriated for the 2020 Census effort, Mullin felt increases in the funding available for services aimed at assisting developmentally disabled residents fell short of what’s needed, especially in high-cost areas like San Mateo County.

Acknowledging this year’s budget discussions were Gov. Gavin Newsom’s first with the state Legislature, Mullin saw the governor’s tendencies toward strategies aimed at addressing income inequality — such as an expansion of the earned income tax credit — as an indication of his focus on investing in the state’s residents. Together with Newsom’s focus on efforts to increase the state’s reserve and pay down its unfunded liabilities, the budget reflected the fiscally responsible approach needed as legislators prepare for economic uncertainty, noted Mullin.

“He’s investing in families and working people and really trying to get at an economy that works for everyone and trying to create one California,” he said.

Though state Sen. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, acknowledged several bills up for review this week will determine how the budget will be implemented, he was encouraged education at all levels and efforts to address the state’s housing crisis were among legislators’ top priorities this year.

“While several budget-related bills must still be passed to implement the budget framework the Legislature sent to Gov. Newsom last week, it is clear that education from early childhood to college level, measures to aid families, and efforts to ease California’s housing crisis are major priorities in the 2019-20 spending proposal that awaits the governor’s approval,” he said in an email. “We’re all working to ensure that the budget improves the quality of life for Californians while strengthening the resiliency of our state.”

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