By Mary Hayashi
Member, California State Assembly

As part of a bipartisan delegation of 30 Assemblymembers who flew to Washington D.C. this past week, I am hopeful that our lobbying efforts will provide a positive change to California’s treasury. Right now, Californians receive about 79 cents back in services for every dollar in taxes we send to the federal government. This is unfortunate because California relies on federal revenue to assist us with meeting our affordable housing, health care, transportation, education and environmental needs.

Through this delegation and by moving the next presidential primary to February 5, 2008, I believe we sent a clear and loud message to the Bush Administration and the newly-elected and democratically controlled congress that California deserves its fair share. The delegation met with presidential contenders Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama; Senators Diane Feinstein, Barbara Boxer and Ted Kennedy; and U.S. Representatives Henry Waxman, Lois Capps, Lucille Roybal-Allard, Mike Honda, Barbara Lee, and Adam Schiff; just to name a few.

As a member of the Assembly Health Committee, I utilized this valuable time to advocate for our state’s health care issues. Most importantly, our delegation voiced strong support for the reauthorization of the State Children’ Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) that provides federal dollars to support health care programs in California, such as Healthy Families. The delegation also called on our federal representatives to provide additional resources for mental health care and dental care for our children.

Finally, our delegation had a wonderful conversation with Representative George Miller who chairs the House Committee on Education and Labor and requested that the federal government continues funding Pell Grants for California’s college students.

Last November, the American people voted for a shift in power at the federal level. With the Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi being from California and this recent lobbying trip to Capitol Hill, I am now hopeful that California’s interests will be taken to heart and the state will receive additional funding for the important projects needed to improve the lives of all Californians.

Assemblymember Mary Hayashi serves the 18th Assembly District, which includes portions of the EastBay. Prior to her election, Hayashi dedicated most of her professional life to addressing a broad range of health care issues. She is the Assistant Majority Whip in the Assembly