Dec. 6, 2018

Assembly Budget Chair Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) outlined key priorities for the 2019-20 State Budget in his “Blueprint for a Responsible Budget” earlier this week. Under the theme of “Funding Progress | Protecting Tomorrow,” the blueprint provides a high-level overview of how to further bolster reserves, keep promises made, and pursue long-term goals given the LAO’s estimated $15 billion in unanticipated revenue for 2019-20.

Of note for counties, the Blueprint outlines a budget plan that seeks to:

• Protect communities from wildfires, prepare for future disasters, and assist in recovery;
• Continue CalWORKs grant increases to reduce Deep Poverty;
• Renew and extend the Medi-Cal managed care organization tax and eliminate possible In Home Supportive Services hour reduction;
• Invest in programs to expand affordable housing and prevent homelessness;
• Provide Universal Access to Health Care;
• Reduce recidivism through effective reentry employment and higher education programs for people leaving prison;
• Find a funding mechanism to provide clean drinking water to all California communities;
• Address the evolution of California’s waste stream and update recycling programs to meet State goals; and,
• Fix toxic contamination clean-up and enforcement processes.

The full outline is available here and the press release is available here. The incoming Governor will release his 2019-20 Budget proposal by January 10 at which time CSAC will provide a Budget Action Bulletin with the key provisions of importance to counties.