Assembly Blueprint Aims to Make Government Work for All Californians

San Francisco – Over the past ten years, the Assembly has prioritized planning for inevitable revenue shortfalls while ensuring that meaningful progress has been made to serve Californians. In today’s unveiling of his 2023-24 Budget Blueprint, Serving California: Making Government Work, Assembly Budget Chair Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) emphasized protecting the progress made over the last ten years.

“We have spent a decade preparing for revenue shortfalls, and with the robust General Fund reserves and Rainy Day Fund, California is prepared to weather future economic downturns while still prioritizing the gains that we have made in K-12 and early childhood education, our higher education institutions, homelessness support, and health care,” said Ting. “Thanks to this planning and the voters for supporting Proposition 2, there are many solutions available to us to ensure that access to vital services and programs won’t be cut.”

Ting Introduces Legislation to Reduce Gas Price Spikes

Sacramento – Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) yesterday introduced ABX1 1, which intends to address the record-high gasoline price spikes from earlier this year and aims to ensure that preventable price increases don’t occur again due to supply issues.

“Many Californians faced increased prices at the pump, coupled with growing inflation,” said Ting. “It is unacceptable that at one point drivers were paying at least $2.50 per gallon more than the national average. We need to do what we can to ensure that gasoline prices don’t increase due to preventable supply issues.”

ABX1 1 would ensure that more than one oil refinery cannot be undergoing scheduled maintenance at a time. According to the American Automobile Association, at least six of California’s 14 oil refineries were not operating or only partially operating for maintenance in October when the high price spike occurred, greatly reducing the supply of refined gasoline.

KCBS: San Francisco Celebrates Chinatown Rose Pak Subway Station Opening

A Historic Ride took place this morning in San Francisco celebrating the opening of Muni's Chinatown Rose Pak subway station that connects Chinatown with Mission Bay.

One of those present for the first ride out of the station was Assembly Member Phil Ting. Click the link below to listen to the live interview.

SacBee: Legislative Leaders React To Budget Woes

After the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office released its grim report that California faces possible deficits of up to $25 billion, Democratic leaders put on a brave face, promising to protect existing budget priorities from cuts.

SacBee: CA Had Years of Massive Budget Surpluses. Now It Could Face a $25B Deficit

After back-to-back historic budget surpluses, California analysts on Wednesday projected that Gov. Gavin Newsom and state legislators could be forced to navigate a $25 billion budget deficit next year. That shortfall, according to a new report from the state’s independent Legislative Analyst’s Office, could be followed by continued annual budgetary gaps between $17 billion and $8 billion for the subsequent three years. If the forecast holds true through June, when the state’s next budget must be passed, Newsom and legislators may have to make some tough calls.

NY Times: LA Pedestrians Look Forward to Relaxed Jaywalking Law

.... Starting Jan. 1, thanks to the “Freedom to Walk” act, people in California will no longer have to worry so much about making a legal misstep when they are safely crossing a street. Signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom, the act was designed to give pedestrians in the state more leeway. No longer will they be charged with an infraction or fined for crossing outside designated intersections — with the caveat that police officers may still give tickets to pedestrians who are creating a safety hazard, in their view.