SACRAMENTO – Assemblywoman Esmeralda Soria (D-Merced) issued the following statement on Governor Newsom’s May Revise budget release:
“I applaud the Governor’s commitment to higher education by preserving funding for capital projects at UC Merced,” said Assemblywoman Esmeralda Soria. “Prioritizing funding to support campus expansion projects to accommodate future enrollment growth is a smart investment. The budget proposal also maintains funding to build student housing for low-income students. Supporting our most vulnerable and in-need student populations within the Central Valley will transform the lives of individuals and is an investment in the economic viability of our region. I look forward to working with the Governor and my legislative colleagues over the next several weeks to finalize a state budget reflective of California’s values and responsive to the needs of constituents in Assembly District 27.”
The Governor’s 2023-24 May Revise budget proposal also includes the following key actions:
- $150 million - For the Distressed Hospital Loan Program to provide interest-free cashflow loans to not-for-profit hospitals and public hospitals in significant financial distress or to governmental entities representing a closed hospital, for purposes of preventing the closure of, or facilitating the reopening of, those hospitals.
- $150 million to support flood preparedness, response, and recovery for vulnerable populations, such as farmworkers.
-
$250 million to support the City of Fresno’s Public Infrastructure Plan to invest in the downtown area. This plan includes projects to build parking structures, develop green space, improve walkability, and for water infrastructure
-
$800 million in record-level public safety investments, including supports for victims’ services, officer wellness and training, non-profit security grants, efforts to combat fentanyl, and more.