Sen. Dodd: Budget Funds Wildfire Safety, Tax Relief, Teacher Training & Atmospheric River Plans

SACRAMENTO – Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, issued the following statement today about the 2019-20 budget approved by Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislature:

“We passed a bold yet responsible plan that invests wisely in education and wildfire prevention while building our reserves,” Sen. Dodd said. “While there’s always room for improvement, it’s a well-crafted financial roadmap for California. I appreciate Gov. Newsom’s partnership, and I think his first budget sets a solid foundation to build on in future years.”

Highlights of the $214.8 billion budget include:

• Increasing total budget reserves to $19.2 billion.
• $1 billion investment in disaster safety funding including $225.8 million for wildfire prevention and forest health efforts. Also, bolsters 911 and earthquake warning system development.
• $9.25 million in funding for Sen. Dodd’s request to create “atmospheric river” forecasting research to improve flood control and water retention.
• Historic investment in K-12 and higher education including two free years of community college and increased funding to expand preschool and full-day kindergarten.
• $1.5 million to implement Sen. Dodd’s community college teacher credentialing pilot program to increase the number of teachers.
• Funding for the planning and transition of the Sonoma Developmental Center, along with the preservation of the open space.
• The more than doubling of the California Earned Income Tax Credit, which Sen. Dodd helped create several years ago by investing $1 billion in a new “Working Families Tax Credit” – reaching an additional 400,000 families.
• $1 billion on programs to help the homeless.

###

Senator Bill Dodd represents the 3rd Senate District, which includes all or portions of Napa, Yolo, Sonoma, Solano, Sacramento and Contra Costa counties. More information on Senator Bill Dodd can be found at www.senate.ca.gov/dodd.