SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember Marc Berman (D-Palo Alto) released the following statement in response to the Governor’s budget:
“As Chair of the Assembly Elections & Redistricting Committee, I applaud the Governor for his commitment in this budget to strengthening our democracy, and to fair and effective representation.
“By allocating $134.3 million in state funding to help counties replace aging voting systems, this budget represents an important step forward in ensuring the security, integrity, and accuracy of our elections. Furthermore, updating voting equipment will allow California to modernize the way we conduct elections, giving voters more choices about how, when, and where they cast their ballots.
“I further commend Governor Brown on his proposal to spend $40.3 million on outreach planning for the 2020 Census. The funding will help California’s efforts to encourage full participation in the 2020 Census, which will ensure fair political representation and distribution of funding to California.
“Census data not only determines the state's representation in Congress, but is also used to allocate federal funding for vital programs and services, including Medicare, Medi-Cal, affordable housing, infrastructure, and programs for children. The Governor's budget proposes investing approximately $1 per Californian to protect more than $750 billion in federal funding over the course of a decade.
“California is the largest and the hardest-to-count state in the nation, and there are clear indications that it will be particularly difficult to get a complete and accurate count of all residents in 2020. Not only is the next Census behind schedule and underfunded due to federal inaction, but it faces unique challenges because of the use of new and untested methodology. High levels of mistrust of the federal government will create further obstacles to an accurate count in 2020.
“By preparing now for a robust Census outreach effort, California can help ensure a more accurate and complete count of communities around the state.
“I look forward to working with the Governor on these two new major commitments that, taken together, will enable California to continue its unique leadership in promoting fair and effective representation.”
Contact: Kaitlin Curry, (916) 319-2024