Home

Join Assemblymember Ting in Support of Reopening Schools!



Support AB10

Indefinite distance learning is hurting our kids. As a result, they’re falling further behind in their studies, jeopardizing their potential. Isolation is also impacting their social development and emotional intelligence. But studies have shown that with proper public health protocols in place, in-person classes can resume safely without major COVID-19 outbreaks. AB 10 by Assemblymember Ting requires schools to have a reopening plan and to follow it when their county falls into the Red, Yellow or Orange tier. Sign the petition to support this proposal.

   LATEST NEWS

Sunday, January 10, 2021

Publication: San Francisco Chronicle

California legislators who return to work Monday will quickly be asked to vote on a flurry of high-profile spending measures to confront the worsening toll of the coronavirus pandemic.

At the top of their agenda: find a way to reopen schools for millions of students who have been out of the classroom since March, provide cash payments to low-income families, distribute COVID-19 vaccines more quickly, and extend an eviction moratorium.

Ostensibly, legislators and Gov. Gavin Newsom agree on the broad strokes of the budget proposal he released Friday, which includes a $5 billion “immediate action” plan he wants approved within weeks.

...

Cash payments: Newsom is pushing lawmakers to swiftly approve one-time $600 direct payments to low-income people, an effort designed in part to help keep families housed. The payments would cost $2.4 billion.

Checks would be sent to taxpayers who received the state’s earned income tax credit for the working poor, typically those who earn $30,000 or less. Newsom said payments could go out within weeks.

Assembly member Phil Ting, the San Francisco Democrat who chairs the budget committee, said there’s broad support for such payments.

“If we don’t do it now, we run the risk of having a greater catastrophe down the road,” Ting said. “A little bit of money today will help significantly tomorrow.”

... 

Read more
Friday, January 8, 2021

Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), Chair of the Assembly Budget Committee, released the statement below following Governor Gavin Newsom’s 2021-22 budget release:

“I’m optimistic we will reach the light at the end of the tunnel later this year, as vaccination rates increase. Until then, we must continue to stabilize Californians and small businesses struggling during these unpredictable times.  We can accomplish that by maintaining the programs and services they need, while also forging a path to economic recovery. I’m glad to see several of the Governor’s priorities are similar to those included in the Assembly Budget Blueprint, Preserve | Respond | Protect | Recover, such as:

  • Stabilization of critical programs and services: Retain reserves and restoration of past cuts
  • Persistent COVID-19 response: Continued investment in public health infrastructure, including vaccine distribution, and safe reopening of schools
  • Support For Working Families: More funding to head off homelessness and expand assistance programs, and increased refund amounts for all California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC) filers
  • Economic Recovery: Prevent evictions and support mom-and-pop landlords, and invest in retraining programs for laid off workers and infrastructure strategies to prevent wildfires and stimulate green jobs while benefiting low-income communities

I’m ready to get to work, crafting a responsible plan that successfully navigates the state through the pandemic and helps us emerge stronger. We must also prepare of any more uncertainty and shore up reserves. Hearings will begin next week to give the public opportunities to weigh in, as we consider early action and shape the Governor’s plan into a final state budget before the June 15th deadline. Together, we will make sure people can rely on their government to get them through a crisis and lead the way to brighter days. ”

More information about the Preserve | Respond | Protect | Recover Budget Blueprint can be found here.

#  #  #  #  #

Wednesday, January 6, 2021

Publication: San Francisco Chronicle

When sanity returns to Washington and Donald Trump’s insurrectionists are defeated, Democrats will control the Senate along with the House and White House — which could lead to new financial help for California governments and Californians.

Although it’s unclear how the riots that temporarily prevented Congress from confirming Joe Biden’s victory as president Wednesday will play out in the long run, it’s clear that Democrats will have more ability to pass legislation than at any time since Barack Obama’s first term.

...

“It means everything for California,” said Assembly Member Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, chair of the Assembly budget committee. “Instead of an administration that we’re fighting every day, we have one that we can work with.”

... 

Read more
Monday, January 4, 2021

Publication: KTVU/Fox 2 Bay Area

UCSF and the city of San Francisco have reached an agreement on a project to improve housing, transit and jobs programs as part of its plan to expand and update its Parnassus Heights campus. 

The proposed package includes 1,263 new houses for the UCSF workforce, with 40 percent of all new and existing homes designated as affordable units. The boost also includes $20 million in transportation improvements and a 30 percent target for local hires in construction and permanent entry-level jobs.  

...

"From the 1906 earthquake to the HIV epidemic to COVID-19, UCSF has been a crucial player in providing healthcare, training programs and research that are recognized around the world," Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) said in a release.  "The Parnassus Heights project makes certain this important work and legacy will continue. The new agreement is a shining example of how community investment can be more inclusive." 

...

Read more
Monday, December 28, 2020

Bills Championed by Ting Become State Law on January 1Even in a year when COVID-19 added constraints to the legislative process, Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) still had a successful 2020 with a number of bills taking effect on January 1, 2021, including:

           Economic Stimulus

                       AB 841 – Creates good paying green jobs to help CA’s economic recovery by:

  • Temporarily redirecting unspent energy efficiency funds to help schools upgrade their HVAC systems to improve air flow, helping to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in classrooms; new grant program can also be used to upgrade old pipes that potentially leech lead into drinking water; priority given to applications from campuses in low-income communities
  • Requiring the California Public Utilities Commission to act on its years-long application backlog of electric vehicle charging stations; faster approvals will get more people back to work

Criminal Justice Reform

AB 3234 – Allows judges to place first-time misdemeanor offenders into a diversion program; also modifies the Elderly Parole Program, so those aged 50 or above who have served a minimum of 20 years and don’t pose a public safety risk are eligible for a hearing to determine possible release

            Housing Supply

AB 3182 – Prevents homeowners associations from completely banning rental units (including Accessory Dwelling Units); permits limiting rentals to 25% of a community’s total units, so they still qualify for federal loans and insurance          

Environment

SB 212 with Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson and Assemblymember Adam Gray (2018) – Establishes a statewide take-back program for unwanted medication and needles with the help of the pharmaceutical industry. CalRecycle will be issuing regulations soon.

As with all urgency bills, Ting’s bill to help local jurisdictions address homelessness, AB 2553, took immediate effect upon the Governor’s signature in September. It grants city and county leaders the authority to temporarily suspend regulations in order to expedite the construction of emergency shelters and safe overnight parking areas.

In addition, ACR 165, designating a portion of State Route 35 in Daly City as the “Alice Peña Bulos Memorial Highway” did not require the Governor’s signature. The resolution’s passage in both houses this summer paved the way for supporters to raise private money for road signs honoring the local Filipina activist.

Finally, AB 793, the landmark law requiring manufacturers to include recycled materials in plastic CRV bottles, begins next year. Beverage containers must have at least 15% minimum recycled content in 2022, eventually reaching 50% by 2030 - the highest standard in the world.

#   #   #   #   #   #

Wednesday, December 23, 2020

Publication: Spectrum Television News / Los Angeles

California teachers unions and state legislators are at odds over when students should return to the classroom after a Democratic bill was introduced that would force schools to reopen in the spring.

Toby Boyd, the President of the California Teachers Association, said he responds to hundreds of emails every week from concerned parents ever since the pandemic hit.

“We understand the importance of getting our students back into the classroom and having them there, but we have to do it safe and that’s our number one concern,” Boyd said.

...

This December, California legislators proposed Assembly Bill 10, a bill to reopen schools as early as March. However, Boyd believes this date is too soon to be letting children and staff back into the classroom.

“Look at the numbers that we have of infections, the ICU rates, the beds that are not available, the hospitalization, the deaths,” Boyd explained.

Assemblymember Phil Ting is one of the main authors of the bill and is also a parent himself. He says he understands the stress of distance learning that millions of families are facing across the state.

“I just got finished with my parent teacher conferences. The teachers are working extremely hard, but they definitely let us know as parents that they are not going to be able to get through all the material that they normally would in a year,” Ting said.

...

Read more
Monday, December 21, 2020

Publication: San Francisco Chronicle

A $900 billion coronavirus aid package that Congress passed Monday includes no dedicated money for state or local governments, undercutting hopes that California and many of its cities would be able to close growing budget gaps without major cuts.

...

Assembly member Phil Ting, the San Francisco Democrat who chairs the Assembly budget committee, said it was unbelievable that the federal government was not doing everything possible to prevent states and cities from sinking deeper into economic crises.

“State and local governments are the ones primarily providing services to people. During a pandemic, people are relying on their government more than ever before,” Ting said. “The federal government’s responsibility is to be a social safety net during a crisis. That’s why they can borrow money.”

...

Yet without new federal aid, California has fewer options for using its $26 billion windfall, much of which must be socked away to replenish state reserve accounts, Ting said.

...

Read more
Tuesday, December 15, 2020

Publication: CalMatters

In the five years before the pandemic, low-income Californians had begun to see substantial wage gains, chipping away at the income inequality gap between California’s haves and have-nots that has widened over the past 40 years. But the coronavirus pandemic is “likely stripping away many of these gains,” researchers at the Public Policy Institute of California found in a new report.

The current coronavirus-induced recession has hit low-income workers the hardest, while higher income workers, largely able to work from home, have escaped relatively unscathed. And those acute job losses among low-wage workers — particularly African Americans, Latinos, workers without college degrees and women — have stayed worryingly high through the fall, the researchers found. 

...

Last week, Assemblymember Phil Ting, a San Francisco Democrat who chairs the budget committee, announced his priorities for the session. They included transitional kindergarten for all 4-year-olds, more financial aid for college students, more money for low-income families through the state’s Earned Income Tax Credit, and making parents who don’t work eligible for the state’s Young Child Tax Credit of up to $1,000.

“Our major priority is making sure we do everything to get money into the pockets of the most vulnerable Californians,” Ting said. “So many Californians are struggling. They’re on the brink of homelessness.”

Read more
Friday, December 11, 2020

Publication: KSRO/Sonoma County NewsTalk Radio

A new state budget blueprint has been released for the 2021-22 fiscal year centered around restoring previous cuts while also providing a lifeline for Californians impacted by the pandemic. Assemblyman Phil Ting, Chair of the Assembly Budget Committee, says many cuts were the result of the federal government not providing additional funding.He says other priorities include preparing for future economic downturns and providing targeted stimulus to help rebuild the economy. Listen here. 

Read more
Thursday, December 10, 2020

2021-22 Budget Blueprint(Sacramento) - California continues to face challenges due to COVID-19. Thanks to a one-time boost in revenues, the state is in a position to not only reverse some budget cuts made last year, but also maintain critical health and human services programs. Unfortunately, however, deficits are projected in subsequent years. With that in mind, Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), Chair of the Assembly Budget Committee, unveiled his 2021-22 Budget Blueprint, Preserve | Respond | Protect | Recover, calling for the restoration of funding in key priority areas to assist struggling Californians, while developing ways to stimulate the economy and grow reserves for future downturns.

“This is a time when people need their government the most. Until we have widespread vaccination rates, we will need to keep helping families and small businesses and provide a path to economic recovery,” said Ting. “But we can’t do this alone. Like other states, we need the federal government to step up with some relief.”

Among the highlights of Preserve | Respond | Protect | Recover:

  • Stabilization of critical programs and services: Repay school/community college deferrals; restore cuts to UC, CSU, Courts, Housing, Child Support, Health & Human Services; retain reserves
  • Persistent COVID-19 response: Continued investment in public health infrastructure; safe reopening of schools; protect vulnerable populations in nursing homes and prisons; workplace safety enforcement; greater transparency & oversight of all disaster-related funding
  • Support For Working Families: Ongoing funding to head off homelessness and expand assistance programs; implementation of TK-For-All; increase college financial aid and refund amounts for California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC) filers; safeguard communities from wildfires
  • Economic Recovery: Prevent evictions and support mom-and-pop landlords; modernization of the Employment Development Department (EDD); more retraining programs for laid off workers; establish a Climate Crisis investment plan and infrastructure strategy to stimulate green jobs while benefiting low-income communities

The Budget Blueprint is here: 2021-22 Budget Blueprint