Cities’ top priorities included in Governor’s revised budget proposal; but with an unprecedented surplus, there are missed opportunities to invest in programs that benefit all Californians

Contact: Jill Oviatt
joviatt@calcities.org
(916) 882-8656

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sacramento – Following the release of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s revised 2022-23 budget proposal for a total of $300.7 billion, League of California Cities Executive Director and CEO Carolyn Coleman issued the below statement:

“We appreciate the Governor’s proposed investments to support California cities and the residents who live within them. Every Californian deserves a roof over their head, access to behavioral health services, safe and reliable infrastructure, high-speed broadband, and resources to address climate resiliency and increased wildfire threats. We are pleased to see a clear commitment from the Governor to invest in these shared local and state priorities.  

“It was also good to see funding for the very real public safety issue of organized retail theft, with direct funding for local law enforcement agencies and support for small businesses.

“We are pleased to hear the Governor acknowledge that given the unprecedented $100 billion surplus, it’s smart to pay down the state’s debt. We look forward to working with the Legislature to include in the budget the nearly $1 billion owed to local governments for costs related to state-mandated programs. With a surplus of this magnitude, there is no excuse for the state not to pay all of its bills.  

“Funding in the proposed budget to help communities transform underutilized commercial space into housing is a good start. We continue to call on the state to allocate $500 million for the establishment of a “Housing and Economic Development Program,” a state-local partnership that would help finance housing production, incentivize development, and achieve real progress toward housing production goals.

“As the budget process continues, we look forward to working with the Legislature and Governor to ensure cities have the right financing tools to help kickstart housing production. 

“Climate resiliency is clearly a priority in this revised budget proposal. However, there is a critical missing piece that we will continue to work to have included in the final budget.

 “Local governments are the backbone for achieving California’s goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through organic waste recycling programs. Local governments need hundreds of millions of dollars more to develop and implement this state-mandated program without diverting existing resources from essential city services and increasing the financial burden on taxpayers.”

Established in 1898, the League of California Cities is a nonprofit statewide association that advocates for cities with the state and federal governments and provides education and training services to elected and appointed city officials.