District Report -- March 2024

A Message from Senator Bill Dodd


Dear Neighbor,


Spring has finally arrived! I hope you and your family have a chance to get out and enjoy our beautiful district.


In the Capitol, I am working on legislation to help with the things you value most including enhancing investment protection for our seniors, wildfire safety and reducing utility costs.


I recently weighed in on the controversial California Forever proposal in Solano County. You can read my opinion, published in The Press Democrat.


As I have in the past, I will continue to host periodic, virtual town halls so you can share your thoughts with me. If you missed my last virtual town hall featuring updates from our federal representatives, you can watch it here.
In this Issue:

As always, my office is available to help you with a state agency or answer any questions you might have. You can contact me by visiting my website.

Sincerely,

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Senator Bill Dodd, District 3

 

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Women’s History Month & Women of the Year


March is National Women’s History Month, an ideal time for us to collectively acknowledge and celebrate the contributions of women who have shaped our nation.


It’s also when we honor women of the North Bay who made outstanding contributions. The following is a partial list of my Women of the Year for 2024: 

Contra Costa County Woman of the Year: Rebecca Barrett, president of the Contra Costa County Community College District board and champion of public education, the underserved and first-generation college students.

Napa County Woman of the Year: Diane Dillon served on the Napa County Board of Supervisors for five consecutive terms, retiring in 2022. Among her many achievements is leading her community through the 2017 wildfire recovery and representing the county as a member of the California State Association of Counties.

Sacramento County Woman of the Year: Patricia Garamendi has served as a deputy secretary at both the California Business, Transportation and Housing Agency and the California Technology, Trade and Commerce Agency. Patricia also served as a deputy administrator for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agriculture Service Agency. She managed her family’s cattle ranch for 25 years.

Solano County Woman of the Year: A. Marie Young, a longtime Solano Community College board member and mathematics professor who broke barriers in the 1970s as the first African American woman to teach an academic course full-time at the college.

Yolo County Woman of the Year: Rhonda Morningstar Pope Flores, chair of the Buena Vista Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians, has played a central role in improving services for Native Americans and residents of West Sacramento, most recently opening the Bryte and Broderick Community Center. For her many community contributions.

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 Free Tax Help/ Earned Income Tax Credit

Tax Day is fast approaching. You may qualify for tax credits or free tax preparation through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) or Tax Counseling for the Elderly programs, which are supported by the Franchise Tax Board.

You may qualify for tax credits. The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) program will benefit millions of low income working families and can result in thousands of dollars for qualifying families. I helped champion the creation of California's EITC, which provides even more money to working families. Each year millions of dollars in tax credits go unclaimed, so see if you’re eligible.

For a list of upcoming workshops. I urge you to call the contact numbers listed to verify your eligibility, make appointments, and to learn what documentation may be required.

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 California Grants Portal

The State Library has enhanced its offering for grantmakers on the California Grants Portal. These updates are intended to improve the accuracy of data and the grantseeker experience. And after receiving feedback, the library has added a new category: Animal Services.

The library has also removed the “uncategorized” option, and is no longer allowing grantmakers to select “other” applicant type. All grants will now have at least one specific category and applicant type. The hope is that this makes it easier for people to search for and identify grants that best meet their needs.

The agency has also collected some tips and other resources to help you on your search for funding and support.

Please contact the State Library with any questions or email CAGrantsPortal@library.ca.gov

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Bill Dodd - In the News

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