For Immediate Release: October 25, 2007
Contact: Karen Clifton
Phone: (559) 445-5532

Fresno, CA – Assemblymember Juan Arambula (D-Fresno) has sent an urgent letter to the Chairman of the Assembly Budget Committee, urging the necessary funds and resources for those directly affected by the deadly Southern California fires are available.

“Special budget allocations will definitely have to be made to ensure adequate resources are available for our firefighters, emergency services workers and the thousands of families displaced by this terrible disaster. As Chair of the Budget Subcommittee on State Administration, I am standing ready to make that happen,” said Assemblymember Juan Arambula.

According to Arambula, the Budget Subcommittee-4 on State Administration oversees the budgets for the Office of Emergency Services (OES), Homeland Security and a reserve for Natural Disaster Assistance, all of which will be taxed as the state moves forward with its fire disaster response.

“These terrible fires are going to cost the state millions of dollars in relief funding.  This is a huge effort and we have to make adjustments to the current budget to accommodate the urgent demands of those battling these fires, as well as, those who have lost their homes,” said Assemblymember Arambula.

Arambula also stated that he would also be making inquires of the departments and agencies under the subcommittee’s jurisdiction.  The oversight will give Arambula important information on how these agencies are responding to this disaster and how those responses are impacting their budgets.