Dear Neighbors, On January 24th, I had the opportunity to attend Governor Brown's State of the State Address. The Governor's speech was refreshingly positive and hopeful about California's fiscal future, which is in stark contrast to the grim outlook we have been given in recent years past. We have all made sacrifices to get our state on the road to recovery. I, along with fellow Democratic lawmakers, voted to make some very painful cuts to health, education and social programs these last few years. The voters have also given us a great deal of trust by voting for new taxes through Proposition 30. However, we are not out of the woods yet. We must remain steadfast and vigilant to avoid careless spending. As Governor Brown said during his State of the State Address, "fiscal discipline is not the enemy of our good intentions, but a basis for realizing them." I am a firm believer that good fiscal policy is also good public policy. I'm trying to do my part to keep our state government fiscally disciplined. One of the first items I introduced during this legislative session, Senate Constitutional Amendment 6, requires "pay as you go" ballot measures. This legislation would prohibit an initiative that increases government costs from being submitted to the voters unless the initiative also provides the revenues to cover its costs. We cannot afford to continue governing with an initiative process that allows us to pass ballot measures without the means to pay for them. As our budget continues to stabilize, we can begin to reinvest in our most critical programs. I hope that we put an emphasis on reinvesting in education and infrastructure, which serve as the foundation for a stronger, modern California. I was very pleased that the Governor's budget proposal includes increased funding for K-12 schools and higher education. Under this proposal, K-12 schools would see a $2.7 billion increase in funding. Higher education-a combination of the UC, CSU, and community colleges-would see a $1.3 billion increase. As Chair of the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee, I echo Governor Brown's call to look for long term funding sources for transportation infrastructure projects. A 2011 Statewide Transportation System Needs Assessment by the California Transportation Commission projected a $296 billion funding shortfall over the next ten years. We simply cannot allow our already strained transportation infrastructure to continually be underfunded -- it hurts our economy and creates public safety hazards. In addition to paying long term economic dividends, upgrading our infrastructure will create jobs now -- helping aid our state's economic recovery. While establishing a stable, long term funding source for transportation projects is a must, the way we spend that money must be done in the most accountable way possible. As we explore long term funding for transportation, there have to be accompanying measures taken to provide oversight of the way taxpayer money is spent. If we provide the necessary oversight, finding a stable source of funding -- to ensure our transportation infrastructure can meet the needs of a modern California -- is the financially smart and responsible thing to do. Sincerely, Senator Mark DeSaulnier
2. Cash for CollegeCal Grants California high school seniors who meet income qualifications and have a minimum GPA of 2.0 are guaranteed financial assistance through the Cal Grant program. These grants do not need to be repaid and may be used for tuition, fees, books and access costs at qualifying public or private California two-year and four-year colleges and universities. To be eligible for a Cal Grant, you must complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). Completing the FAFSA will also make students eligible for federal student aid. Deadline: March 2, 2013. Submit your FAFSA as soon as possible, in order to complete your Cal Grant application. *Due to March 2, 2013 falling on a Saturday, the deadline to mail in a paper GPA Verification form is extended to the following Monday, March 4, 2013. The paper GPA Verification form must be postmarked no later than March 4, 2013.
3. Upcoming District EventsBudget Town Halls Want to learn more about the state budget? Have questions or comments? Stop by one of our budget town halls to hear from Senator DeSaulnier! Budget Town Hall Dublin
Wednesday, March 13th
7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Dublin City Council Chambers
100 Civic Plaza
Dublin, CA 94568 | Budget Town Hall Concord
Thursday, March 14th
7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Concord City Council Chambers
1950 Parkside Drive
Concord, CA 94519 | Budget Town Hall Danville
Tuesday, March 19th
7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Veterans Memorial Building
400 Hartz Avenue
Danville, CA 94526 | Budget Town Hall Pittsburg
Wednesday, March 20th
7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Pittsburg City Council Chambers
65 Civic Avenue
Pittsburg, CA 94565 |
Mobile District Office Do you have an idea, or need help with a problem involving a state agency? Do you want to give your opinion on legislation that affects your community? Here is a chance to meet with Senator DeSaulnier one-on-one! Orinda Mobile District Office
Saturday, March 16th
10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Orinda Intermediate School
80 Ivy Drive, Orinda CA 94563 4. Be sure to check out our website calendar for information on more great events throughout our community. 
Senator DeSaulnier helping a constituent at his Livermore Mobile District Office on February 9, 2013. |
5. Having Issues with the EDD or other State Agencies?Our office has been getting lots of calls from constituents having trouble getting through to the California Employment Development Department (EDD). Our district office has knowledgeable staff, who are here to help you navigate the EDD, as well as any other state agencies. Please don't hesitate to contact us for assistance. The following is the story of a constituent we recently helped: Our office recently assisted a woman who was diagnosed with bone cancer and had an issue obtaining her state disability benefits. Due to a clerical error, her benefits were backlogged by a few months. This only compounded her stress and caused her financial hardship. After several failed attempts to reach EDD directly to remedy the issue, her employer contacted our office requesting assistance on her behalf. Our District Office staff was able to get a hold of EDD and work with them to identify the problem and within a matter of days, our constituent received nearly $9000 in disability benefits that were owed to her.
6. Staff ProfileJonathan Uriarte is a District Representative and works in our Walnut Creek District Office. He specializes in resolving constituent inquiries related to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), banking, insurance companies and all state taxing agencies. He is also our point person on public safety issues. As a District Representative, Jonathan has helped individuals with issues ranging from incorrectly assessed property fees to criminal investigations on fraudulent payments to state agencies. Jonathan graduated with a degree in Political Science from UC Berkeley in 2011. In his free time, he enjoys cooking good food, foreign films, and hiking. He speaks fluent Spanish and French. |  |
7. California Celebrates Black History MonthOn February 4th, the Senate and the Legislative Black Caucus presented a resolution to Myrlie Evers-Williams, in recognition of Black History Month. A civil rights activist and journalist, who has worked for over three decades to seek justice for the 1963 murder of her civil rights activist husband Medgar Evers, Mrs. Evers-Williams delivered the invocation at President Obama's second inauguration in January. She has also served as chairwoman of the NAACP. The Governor also issued a decree declaring February as Black History Month and this year's theme is "At the Crossroads of Freedom and Equality: The Emancipation Proclamation and the March on Washington." Black History Month in February celebrates the contributions that African Americans have made to American history in their struggles for freedom and equality and deepens our understanding of our nation's history.
The 2013 National Women's History Month theme, Women Inspiring Innovation through Imagination, honors generations of women who throughout American history have used their intelligence, imagination, sense of wonder, and tenacity to make extraordinary contributions to the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics fields.
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