Sacramento, CA - Assemblymember Hector De La Torre (D-South Gate) voted for his first state budget in the State Capitol today. The budget is a balanced, responsible budget for Californians. Most importantly, it protects services for seniors, programs for the disabled, and overdue transportation projects.

"I have learned that when Democrats and Republicans work together, we can accomplish much more, including one of the earliest budgets passed since 2000. This budget can serve as a model to help us craft a solution to provide additional funds for our local schools,” said De La Torre.

De La Torre added, “As Chair of the Health and Human Services Budget Subcommittee, I am pleased that the budget included many of the subcommittee’s actions, including the rejection of the Governor’s roll back of wages for home health care workers and the protection of child care funding.”

Some highlights of this budget:

• The budget provides schools with more real discretionary funding to be determined by local school boards, as compared to the Governor’s proposed "boutique" new programs.
• This budget protects our most vulnerable – seniors, the poor and disabled – by restoring basic safety net services.
• This budget fully funds investments in transportation.
• Stopped the Governor’s senior citizen and renter’s tax increase.
• Provides over $8 million for bioterrorism security measures and appropriates $350 million federal funds for homeland security
• It fully funds higher education and includes flexible education funding, with no ongoing new programs.

In addition, the South Gate Democrat will continue to advocate for Assembly Bill 6, the Democratic School Finance Plan, which would bring over $19.5 million to the school districts within the 50th Assembly District. If the plan is approved, the following school districts are estimated to receive:

Bellflower Unified School District $2.7 million - Downey Unified School District $4.1 million

Lynwood Unified School District $3.6 million - Montebello Unified School District $6.1 million

Paramount Unified School District $2.9 million - Los Angeles Unified School District $124 million*

“AB 6 is a fair solution to increase funds for our local schools. Our richest Californians ,those individuals earning over $143,420 per year, need to invest in our future by committing resources to our children. I am confident that few constituents in my Assembly District will need to pay any additional taxes,” stated De La Torre.

* Only a portion would apply to schools in the 50th Assembly District