SACRAMENTO – Assemblywoman Nicole M. Parra (D-Hanford) issued the following statement regarding the decision by a Joint Budget Conference Committee to cut Governor Schwarzenegger’s proposed $5 million for the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley:

“The Partnership is a tremendous asset in zeroing in on the problems facing the Valley and working toward solutions to fix these problems. It is unfortunate that the Governor’s proposed funding was cut, but I will continue to work with my colleagues and the legislative leadership to ensure the Partnership’s funding is reinstated. The Partnership is just too important of a resource to abandon.”

Earlier this month, a Senate subcommittee cut the initially proposed $5 million for the Partnership, in the May Revision, to $1.25 million. However, at a recent hearing of the Assembly Budget Subcommittee Number 4, Assemblywoman Parra, along with Assemblymen Juan Arambula and Michael Villines, voted to reinstate the proposed funding.

Assemblywoman Parra also co-signed a letter urging the committee to re-consider the decision to keep these critical monies from the Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley. Also signing the letter was Assemblywoman Barbara Matthews, and Assemblymen Greg Aghazarian, Juan Arambula, Dave Cogdill, Bill Maze, Kevin McCarthy, and Michael Villines.

**Attached is a copy of the letter to the Joint Budget Conference Committee.