• On Feb. 20, Assemblymember Gregg Hart (D-Santa Barbara) led a budget subcommittee hearing over federal funding in California. “America’s hub for innovation, entrepreneurship, agriculture, and diversity, California is the fifth largest economy in the world. California subsidizes the rest of the country, contributing $80 billion more in federal tax dollars than we receive back in spending and services,” Hart said in a press release. “Children, seniors, first responders, veterans, people with disabilities, and Californians from every corner of our state are counting on the president and Congress to fund the programs and services that ensure their well-being.” He chairs the Assembly Budget Committee No. 7 on Accountability and Oversight, which has plans to host four more such hearings due to funding threats made from the federal government. According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office, the federal government is expected to funnel $170.6 billion into the state’s agencies during the 2025-26 fiscal year, approximately a third of the governor’s total proposed state budget of $322.2 billion. In addition, the analyst’s office estimates that the federal government spends $314.9 billion in grants and assistance to individuals in California; $81.3 billion on grants, contracts, and support for private, nonprofit, and other entities; and $56.3 billion in wages, salaries, and benefits for federal employees located in the state.
• Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office announced what his office called “strong accountability measures for local jurisdictions to demonstrate results to continue receiving state homelessness funding.” As part of that, Newsom launched accountability.ca.gov, which his office said aims to use reported data to provide a clearer picture of local communities’ work on homelessness, housing, and behavioral health. “No one in our nation should be without a place to call home. As we continue to support our communities in addressing homelessness, we expect fast results, not excuses,” Newsom said in the Feb. 20 announcement. “While we are pleased by the progress many communities have made to address the homelessness crisis, there is more work to do.” The accountability measures come alongside new Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention funding to support local homelessness efforts, tied to performance benchmarks and the ability for the state to withhold funding if those local communities don’t make progress. The state also announced awards of about $160 million and the availability of $760 million in new funding to address encampments and create new shelter and support.
• SLO County 3rd District Supervisor Dawn Ortiz-Legg was appointed to the California Air Resources Board. She currently chairs the SLO County Board of Supervisors and the Latino Caucus of California Counties and serves on the SLO Air Pollution Control District Board. “I am honored to join the California Air Resources Board and contribute to the state’s ambitious air quality goals,” Ortiz-Legg said in a press release. “As we transition to a clean energy future, it is crucial to ensure that all communities, including those in San Luis Obispo County, benefit from common-sense policies that promote sustainability and economic growth while protecting our most vulnerable populations.” The press release from her office said it’s the first time a local elected official has sat on the board, which is the lead agency for climate change programs and air pollution control in the state, setting and enforcing emissions standards to improve public health and mitigate the impacts of climate change.
This article appears in Feb 27 – Mar 9, 2025.