(SACRAMENTO, CA) - Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), Chair of the Assembly Democratic Caucus, issued the following statement about Governor Jerry Brown’s State of the State address.
“The state of the state is a reflection of who we are as people. It has long been defined solely by how we are faring on a balance sheet. With our budget crisis fading from view, we must take off these blinders and remember that California is so much more. We can never forget the lessons of fiscal prudence this crisis has taught us. But we need another yardstick to measure our progress. California is the home of dreamers, of innovators who change the world. Our state of the state, therefore, is about what we are doing to keep California on top as a leader. We must lay the groundwork for a more prosperous future for all Californians by focusing prudent investment on a brighter future. Last year, we passed historic education reforms to direct more resources to students from low income families and English learners. But we can’t declare victory yet. It will take public vigilance to ensure these reforms live up to their promise of creating new opportunities for students who frequently fall through the cracks. We must also continue to reign in prison costs, which now eclipse our spending on higher education.”
CONTACT: Anthony Matthews, tel. (916) 319-2019, anthony.matthews@asm.ca.gov