FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                    

Contact: Gregg Fishman, Communications Coordinator
916-327-7500, ext. 516
916-342-9508 mobile

SACRAMENTO – The California State Association of Counties releases the following statement from Executive Director Matt Cate in response to the Governor’s State of the State Address:

“We congratulate the Governor on his historic inauguration to a fourth term as Governor of California. We look forward to a continued partnership with him and his administration on issues of vital importance to California’s 58 counties and the 38 million people we serve.

Specifically, we applaud the Governor’s commitment of $533 million to pay down the debt owed to local governments, and his pledge to improve the condition of California’s transportation system, including locally owned roads and bridges. California’s counties will also continue working with the Governor and various state agencies to implement reforms that are already in place, including the Affordable Care Act, public safety realignment, sustainable ground water management, water bond allocation, and additional measures to reduce California’s dependence on fossil fuels.

The Governor has long-recognized the key role counties play in the administration of justice and providing health and mental health care. The connection between these two disciplines has never been more apparent and counties remain willing partners in finding ways to invest in needed mental health and other services for the criminal justice population to reduce recidivism and enhance public safety.

Reducing the backlog of deferred maintenance on local roads and bridges can improve safety, decrease traffic congestion and provide children with safe walking and biking routes to school. Moreover, consistent with the Governor’s climate change goals, a well maintained transportation network and smoother roads provides greenhouse gas emissions reductions benefits. It can also provide much-needed jobs and economic activity in some of California’s most depressed communities.

None of this is easy, but we agree with the Governor that ‘California must show the way’ and we look forward to seeing more details on these and other policies in the Governor’s budget to be released on Friday.” 

The California State Association of Counties is the voice of California’s 58 counties at the state and federal level.

####