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San Francisco Chronicle
12 hours ago
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
California budget comes down to the wire as Newsom, lawmakers face off over housing
SACRAMENTO — California lawmakers are scheduled to pass a budget that rolls back health care benefits for undocumented immigrants and makes other cuts, even as they continue to negotiate with Gov. Gavin Newsom over housing policies that have so far prevented them from reaching a final deal. The housing policies at issue would represent some of the most significant reforms to the state's landmark environmental law, the California Environmental Quality Act, known as CEQA, since its inception. They would grant broad exemptions to CEQA for homes and other buildings in already developed areas. The lawmakers who crafted the original proposals argue that the law has been abused by people trying to block development and that building more homes in already densely populated areas where people live and work is good for the environment. Newsom agreed, and has made his signature on the budget contingent on lawmakers agreeing to enact some of the CEQA exemptions. But when the negotiated language was released earlier this week, it drew swift backlash, especially from labor unions. Lorena Gonzalez, who leads the California Labor Federation, criticized the proposal because she said it did not require high enough wages for construction workers who build the projects allowed under the bill. For years, bills meant to kickstart housing construction have been stymied by labor unions' insistence on provisions that would effectively require that new homes be built by union workers or ones paid what developers often describe as prohibitively high wages. The budget bill lawmakers plan to pass Friday contains a clause that would render it inoperative if lawmakers don't also approve much of the CEQA overhaul that Newsom has called for. The budget deal makes up for a projected $12 billion shortfall in part by taking out billions of dollars in loans and taking money from the state's reserves. It also partially scales back the state's health care coverage for undocumented people who make less than 138% of the federal poverty level. It will freeze enrollment for the program starting next year and will charge undocumented people ages 19-59 $30 per month in premiums starting in 2027. Growing health care costs, in addition to the economic toll from import taxes imposed by President Donald Trump, made the state's budget outlook particularly challenging this year. 'We had to make some very difficult decisions to balance this budget,' Erika Li, a top budget official for the Newsom administration, told lawmakers during a committee hearing earlier this week. Republicans criticized some of the borrowing and budgeting techniques Newsom and lawmakers used to balance the budget, arguing there should have been more cuts given the economic uncertainty in the years ahead. 'This budget that we see today, to the extent that I can understand it, still has a large dose of hope for a miracle, and it is seemingly less likely,' Sen. Roger Niello, R-Fair Oaks, said during the committee hearing. Cities and counties, meanwhile, have criticized the agreement for not providing more funding for reducing homelessness and implementing Proposition 36, which increased penalties for drug and theft crimes. The budget does include a $750 million loan for struggling Bay Area transit agencies and an expansion of the state's film tax credit program to $750 million to try to keep the industry in California.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Newsom, Democrats announce $321-billion California budget deal
California leaders reached a tentative agreement Tuesday night on the state budget, which hinges on Gov. Gavin Newsom's demand that the Legislature pass a housing reform proposal. The eleventh-hour negotiations about the spending plan, which takes effect July 1, speak to the political challenge of overhauling longstanding environmental regulations to speed up housing construction in a state controlled by Democrats. The party has been loath to do more than tweak the California Environmental Quality Act, or approve one-off exemptions, despite pressure from the governor and national criticism of a law that reform advocates say has hamstrung California's ability to build. The proposal is among a series of policies Newsom and Democratic lawmakers are expected to advance in the coming days as part of the $321.1-billion budget. The deal reflects the Legislature's resistance to the governor's proposed cuts to reduce a $12-billion budget deficit expected in the year ahead, citing uncertainty about the scope of the state's financial problems. 'We appreciate the strong partnership with the Legislature in reaching this budget agreement," said Izzy Gardon, a spokesperson for Newsom. "The governor's signature is contingent on finalizing legislation to cut red tape and unleash housing and infrastructure development across the state — to build more, faster.' The consensus comes after weeks of conversations about how to offset the deficit, caused by overspending in California, and start to address even larger financial problems anticipated in the future, including from potential federal policy changes. The tentative deal largely relies on borrowing money, tapping into state reserves, and shifting funding around to close the shortfall. By reducing and delaying many of the governor's proposed cuts, the budget continues a practice at the state Capitol of sparing state programs from immediate pain while avoiding taking on California's long-term budget woes. Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher (R-Yuba City) said the budget deal papers over the state's financial problems. "We're in this situation because of overspending," Gallagher said. "We've made long-term commitments to programs that Democrats have championed, and now, just like everybody warned, the money is not there to support them all, and they don't want to cut back their program that they helped expand." The cuts lawmakers and the governor ultimately agreed to will reduce the expansion of state-sponsored healthcare to undocumented immigrants and reinstate asset limit tests for Medi-Cal enrollees. The final deal, however, achieves less savings for the state than Newsom originally proposed. The plan restores cost-of-living adjustments for child-care workers, which the governor wanted to nix, and rejects his call to cap overtime hours for in-home caregivers. Democrats in the Legislature successfully pushed to provide another $500 million in funding for Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention grants. The governor originally resisted giving more money to counties, which he has chastised for being unable to show results for the billions of dollars in state funding they have received to reduce homelessness. Assembly Budget Chair Jesse Gabriel (D-Encino) pushed back on the notion that the Legislature hasn't done "real belt-tightening." Lawmakers are trying to balance compassion and fiscal responsibility before making drastic cuts to safety net programs that Californians rely on, he said. "That is the balance that we are trying to strike here with this budget of being responsible, of focusing on the work that we need to do regardless, but also understanding that there is a pretty high delta of uncertainty for a lot of reasons," Gabriel said. The budget also preserves Newsom's plan to provide $750 million to expand the California Film and Television Tax Credit, a proposal supported by Hollywood film studios and unions representing workers in the industry. The tentative agreement is expected to serve as a precursor to more challenging financial discussions about additional reductions in the months ahead. California expects to lose federal funding from the Trump administration and state officials predict a potentially greater funding dilemma in 2026-27. Here are few key elements of the budget deal, detailed in summaries of the agreement and legislation: Described colloquially as a "poison pill" inserted into the budget bill, the agreement between the Legislature and Newsom will only become law if legislators send the governor a version of a proposal initially introduced by Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco). Wiener's bill is expected to lessen the number of building projects that would require a full environmental review under CEQA and make the process of developing environmental impact reports more efficient. Paired with another proposal that could exempt more urban housing developments from CEQA, the legislation could mark a significant change in state policy that makes it easier to build. Newsom is effectively forcing the Wiener proposal through by refusing to sign a budget deal without the CEQA exemptions. The proposal was still being drafted as of Tuesday evening. The governor declared lofty goals to build more housing on the 2018 gubernatorial campaign trail, but he has failed to spur enough construction to meet housing demand and make homes more affordable. New York Times columnist Ezra Klein effectively called out the inaction in California caused by the state's marquee environmental law and a lack of political will in his recent book 'Abundance,' which increased pressure on the governor and other Democrats to reconsider their approach and push for more substantial fixes this year. Read more: After half a century, California legislators on the verge of overhauling a landmark environmental law The CEQA reform bill must be passed by Monday under the budget agreement, which omits a separate Newsom call to streamline the Delta tunnels project. Medi-Cal cost overruns are causing major problems for the California budget. The challenges stem from a higher-than-expected price tag for the expansion of state-sponsored healthcare to all income-eligible undocumented immigrants and medical care for other enrollees. Newsom's budget proposal in May suggested substantial trims to the healthcare program for people who are undocumented. His plan included freezing new enrollment as of Jan. 1, requiring all adults to pay $100 monthly premiums, eliminating long-term care benefits and cutting full dental coverage. The changes offered minor savings in the year ahead but could save billions of dollars in future years. Lawmakers ultimately agreed to require undocumented immigrant adults ages 19 to 59 to pay $30 monthly premiums beginning July 2027. They plan to adopt Newsom's enrollment cap but give people three months to reapply if their coverage lapses instead of immediately cutting off their eligibility. Democrats agreed to cut full dental coverage for adult immigrants who are undocumented, but delayed the change until July 1, 2026. Read more: Gov. Newsom proposes 'asset test' for low-income and disabled Medi-Cal applicants. What does that mean? State leaders agreed to reinstate much higher limits than the governor originally proposed on the assets Medi-Cal beneficiaries may possess and still get coverage. The new limits would be $130,000 for individuals and $195,00 for couples, compared to prior limits of a few thousand dollars. They also adopted Newsom's proposal to withdraw Medi-Cal benefits for specialty weight-loss drugs. The negotiations resulted in less general fund spending than the Legislature proposed in a counter to Newsom's budget revision in May, dropping from $232 billion to an estimated $228 billion for 2025-26. Officials are using more money from California's cap-and-trade program, which sets limits on companies' greenhouse gas emissions and allows them to buy pollution credits from the state, including $1 billion next year. They are also using $300 million from climate change bonds instead of the general fund to pay for environmental programs. Lawmakers and the governor agreed to delay a $3.4-billion payment on a loan to cover Medi-Cal cost overruns and increase the loan by another $1 billion next year. Read more: Despite revenue increase, Newsom plans to pull from California's rainy day reserves The plan continues an agreement to take $7.1 billion from the state's rainy day fund to help cover the deficit and taps into another $6.5 billion from other cash reserves to balance the budget. California leaders for months have warned about the so-called Trump effect on the state budget. Financial analysts at UCLA predict that the state economy is expected to slow in the months ahead due to the effects of Trump's tariff policy and immigration raids on construction, hospitality, agriculture and other key sectors. Meanwhile, the state is warning that federal funding reductions to California could require lawmakers to adopt additional budget cuts in August or September, during a special session in the fall or early next year. State officials expect future deficit estimates to range from $17 to $24 billion annually, according to an Assembly summary of the budget deal. Read more: Newsom claims Trump's tariffs will reduce California revenues by $16 billion The final budget agreement is being publicly released in bits and pieces this week through a series of trailer bills that appear online at random hours. Lawmakers are expected to pass a main budget bill on Friday and approve additional legislation by Monday, before the July 1 deadline for the budget to go into effect. Some legislation, such as the CEQA housing exemptions, will not appear in print until the end of the week. Other decisions, such as reauthorizing California's cap-and-trade program, will be considered later in the year outside of the budget process. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
Newsom, Democrats reach $321 billion California budget deal
California leaders reached a tentative agreement Tuesday night on the state budget, which hinges on Gov. Gavin Newsom's demand that the Legislature pass a housing reform proposal. The eleventh-hour negotiations about the spending plan, which takes effect July 1, speak to the political challenge of overhauling longstanding environmental regulations to speed up housing construction in a state controlled by Democrats. The party has been loathe to do more than tweak the California Environmental Quality Act, or approve one-off exemptions, despite pressure from the governor and national criticism of a law that reform advocates say has hamstrung California's ability to build. The proposal is among a series of policies Newsom and Democratic lawmakers are expected to advance in the coming days as part of the $321.1 billion budget. The deal reflects the Legislature's resistance to the governor's proposed cuts to reduce a $12 billion budget deficit expected in the year ahead, citing uncertainty about the scope of the state's financial problems. 'We appreciate the strong partnership with the Legislature in reaching this budget agreement,' said Izzy Gardon, a spokesperson for Newsom. 'The governor's signature is contingent on finalizing legislation to cut red tape and unleash housing and infrastructure development across the state — to build more, faster.' The consensus comes after weeks of conversations about how to offset the deficit, caused by overspending in California, and start to address even larger financial problems anticipated in the future, including from potential federal policy changes. The tentative deal largely relies on borrowing money, tapping into state reserves, and shifting funding around to close the shortfall. By reducing and delaying many of the governor's proposed cuts, the budget continues a practice at the state Capitol of sparing state programs from immediate pain while avoiding taking on California's long term budget woes. Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher (R-Yuba City) said the budget deal papers over the state's financial problems. 'We're in this situation because of overspending,' Gallagher said. 'We've made long term commitments to programs that Democrats have championed, and now, just like everybody warned, the money is not there to support them all, and they don't want to cut back their program that they helped expand.' The cuts lawmakers and the governor ultimately agreed to will reduce the expansion of state-sponsored healthcare to undocumented immigrants and reinstate asset limit tests for Medi-Cal enrollees. The final deal, however, achieves less savings for the state than Newsom originally proposed. The plan restores cost-of-living adjustments for childcare workers, which the governor wanted to nix, and rejects his call to cap overtime hours for in-home caregivers. Democrats in the Legislature successfully pushed to provide another $500 million in funding for Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention grants. The governor originally resisted giving more money to counties, which he has chastised for being unable to show results for the billions of dollars in state funding they have received to reduce homelessness. Assembly Budget Chair Jesse Gabriel (D-Encino) pushed back on the notion that the Legislature hasn't done 'real belt-tightening.' Lawmakers are trying to balance compassion and fiscal responsibility before making drastic cuts to safety net programs that Californians rely on, he said. 'That is the balance that we are trying to strike here with this budget of being responsible, of focusing on the work that we need to do regardless, but also understanding that there is a pretty high delta of uncertainty for a lot of reasons,' Gabriel said. The budget also preserves Newsom's plan to provide $750 million to expand the California Film and Television Tax Credit, a proposal supported by Hollywood film studios and unions representing workers in the industry. The tentative agreement is expected to serve as a precursor to more challenging financial discussions about additional reductions in the months ahead. California expects to lose federal funding from the Trump administration and state officials predict a potentially greater funding dilemma in 2026-27. Here are few key elements of the budget deal, detailed in summaries of the agreement and legislation: Described colloquially as a 'poison pill' inserted into the budget bill, the agreement between the Legislature and Newsom will only become law if legislators send the governor a version of a proposal initially introduced by Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco). Wiener's bill is expected to lessen the number of building projects that would require a full environmental review under CEQA and make the process of developing environmental impact reports more efficient. Paired with another proposal that could exempt more urban housing developments from CEQA, the legislation could mark a significant change in state policy that makes it easier to build. Newsom is effectively forcing the Wiener proposal through by refusing to sign a budget deal without the CEQA exemptions. The proposal was still being drafted as of Tuesday evening. The governor declared lofty goals to build more housing on the 2018 gubernatorial campaign trail, but he has failed to spur enough construction to meet housing demand and make homes more affordable. New York Times columnist Ezra Klein effectively called out the inaction in California caused by the state's marquee environmental law and a lack of political will in his recent book ,'Abundance,' which increased pressure on the governor and other Democrats to reconsider their approach and push for more substantial fixes this year. The CEQA reform bill must be passed by Monday under the budget agreement, which omits a separate Newsom call to streamline the Delta tunnels project. Medi-Cal cost overruns are causing major problems for the California budget. The challenges stem from a higher-than-expected price tag for the expansion of state-sponsored healthcare to all income-eligible undocumented immigrants and medical care for other enrollees. Newsom's budget proposal in May suggested substantial trims to the health care program for people who are undocumented. His plan included freezing new enrollment as of Jan. 1, requiring all adults to pay $100 monthly premiums, eliminating long-term care benefits and cutting full dental coverage. The changes offered minor savings in the year ahead but could save billions of dollars in future years. Lawmakers ultimately agreed to require undocumented immigrant adults ages 19 to 59 to pay $30 monthly premiums beginning July 2027. They plan to adopt Newsom's enrollment cap but give people three months to reapply if their coverage lapses instead of immediately cutting off their eligibility. Democrats agreed to cut full dental coverage for adult immigrants who are undocumented, but delayed the change until July 1, 2026. State leaders agreed to reinstate much higher limits than the governor originally proposed on the assets Medi-Cal beneficiaries may possess and still get coverage. The new limits would be $130,000 for individuals and $195,00 for couples, compared to prior limits of a few thousand dollars. They also adopted Newsom's proposal to withdraw Medi-Cal benefits for specialty weight loss drugs. The negotiations resulted in less general fund spending than the Legislature proposed in a counter to Newsom's budget revision in May, dropping from $232 billion to an estimated $228 billion for 2025-26. Officials are using more money from California's cap-and-trade program, which sets limits on companies' greenhouse gas emissions and allows them to buy pollution credits from the state, including $1 billion next year. They are also using $300 million from climate change bonds instead of the general fund to pay for environmental programs. Lawmakers and the governor agreed to delay a $3.4 billion payment on a loan to cover Medi-Cal cost overruns and increase the loan by another $1 billion next year. The plan continues an agreement to take $7.1 billion from the state's rainy day fund to help cover the deficit and taps into another $6.5 billion from other cash reserves to balance the budget. California leaders for months have warned about the so-called Trump effect on the state budget. Financial analysts at UCLA predict that the state economy is expected to slow in the months ahead due to the effects of Trump's tariff policy and immigration raids on construction, hospitality, agriculture and other key sectors. Meanwhile, the state is warning that federal funding reductions to California could require lawmakers to adopt additional budget cuts in August or September, during a special session in the fall or early next year. State officials expect future deficit estimates to range from $17 to $24 billion annually, according to an Assembly summary of the budget deal. The final budget agreement is being publicly released in bits and pieces this week through a series of trailer bills that appear online at random hours. Lawmakers are expected to pass a main budget bill on Friday and approve additional legislation by Monday, before the July 1 deadline for the budget to go into effect. Some legislation, such as the CEQA housing exemptions, will not appear in print until the end of the week. Other decisions, such as reauthorizing California's cap-and-trade program, will be considered later in the year outside of the budget process.
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Commission recommends Kern supes OK oil review, permitting plan
A high-stakes effort to resume local oil permitting advanced this week as Kern's Planning Commission voted Thursday night to recommend approval of the county's third attempt at a massive environmental review. The board voted 4-0 with Commissioner Joe Ashley, a local oil executive, absent. Next the controversial measure will head to the county Board of Supervisors, which is scheduled to consider certifying the review and adopting a related ordinance during a special meeting June 26. Because the board is seen as likely to approve the proposal over the objections of climate and environmental justice activists, the bigger challenge for the county may be getting the approval of state appellate court judges. They have ruled, as recently as two years ago, that the county's efforts violate the California Environmental Quality Act. Kern's latest attempt includes new concessions that would raise the costs oil companies face when applying for permission to drill in the county. If the legal bid falls short, permitting will remain in the hands of Sacramento, where producers complain that the process is slow and hobbled by politics. People attending Thursday's commission meeting spoke up in opposition and support for revisions that would allow the county to permit up to 26,970 new wells by 2035. The county estimates that, based on past experience and depending on barrel prices, it will give out no more than about 19,000 drilling permits during that time, and that many of those will merely replace other wells set to be idled. Relatively few people criticized the county effort on Thursday; if history is a guide, a much greater number of opponents will weigh in when the Board of Supervisors takes up the issue. Many groups see the permitting process as overly broad "fast-tracking" at a time when oil production should be curtailed for climate and health reasons. Policy Director Ema De La Rosa at the Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability urged the commission Thursday night to reject the proposal. She said oil and gas has historically impacted poor people and communities of color she said suffer disproportionately from illnesses including asthma, cancer and high-risk pregnancies. "Residents in Kern County already endure the worst air quality in the nation … and expanding these operations will only worsen the public health crisis and further burden already impacted communities," she said. Later she added, "Doubling down on fossil fuel reliance is a step in the wrong direction as the state is working toward a clean energy future." Director Lori Pesante of Sierra Club's Kern-Kaweah Chapter said in a statement ahead of Thursday's meeting it's time for the county to move past oil production. 'Kern's Planning Commission should prioritize clean air, new job opportunities in the renewable energy sector, and protecting the public from dangerous leaks and spills," she stated, "not double down on a failed approach that would give the oil industry a free pass to pollute our neighborhoods.' The architect of the county's effort, Director Lorelei Oviatt of Kern's Planning and Natural Resources Department, made the point oil production is still legal in the state, and that permitting done in Sacramento does not incorporate the 89 mitigation measures and standards Kern's system would impose for the protection of local air, water and biological and cultural resources. Oviatt said by email Friday the benefits of oil and gas production in Kern extend beyond the county, including to Southern California refineries that rely on local petroleum. "Returning Kern County to full environmentally protective permitting is critical for providing gasoline to consumers at prices we can all afford, stabilizing our local business community and providing investor confidence," she wrote. Since before it was initially adopted in 2015, the measure has been a top concern for local oil producers, which more recently are also dealing with a new state law forbidding oil work within 3,200 feet of a home, school or other sensitive site. Kern's proposed ordinance does not attempt to change that regulation. CEO Rock Zierman of the California Independent Petroleum Association trade group expressed support for the county's actions in an email Friday. "If we want any hope of saving the local oil industry and reducing gas prices, Kern must be empowered to take over permitting from the state, which is refusing to process permits in a timely manner' he stated. One of the county's newly proposed mitigation measures, included to address the appellate court's concerns, would prohibit new wells on farmland until old oil-field equipment is removed. Oil producers would also have to secure an ag easement within the county measuring the same size as any lost farmland. Additionally, oil companies applying for permits would have to pay into a fund that would match state investments in water systems serving local disadvantaged communities. Fees for each new oil well would amount to $9,732. It is projected to raise between $17.3 million and $25.9 million per year.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
United States Congressional Candidate Peter Coe Verbica Unveils 25-Point Federal Plan to Help Make California Affordable Again
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. and SAN JOSE, Calif. and SANTA CRUZ, Calif. and MONTEREY, Calif., June 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- US. Congressional Candidate Peter Coe Verbica, author of Hard-Won Cowboy Wisdom and a CFP® professional, releases a comprehensive plan outlining 25 federal initiatives to combat California's growing affordability crisis. Verbica is running for US Congress, California District 19, which includes Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Luis Obispo Counties. While many of the cost drivers (such as housing, gas, utilities, and insurance) are the result of decades of restrictive state policies, Candidate for Congress Verbica emphasizes that federal lawmakers still have powerful tools to ease the burden on California families and businesses. "California's affordability crisis is pushing out teachers, nurses, firefighters, small businesses, and young families," states Peter Coe Verbica. "While Sacramento bears responsibility for many of these cost pressures, if elected, I will focus on delivering federal solutions that can provide real relief." STATE POLICIES AT THE ROOT OF THE CRISIS US. Congressional Candidate Verbica notes several long-standing California-specific issues that have contributed to the affordability problem: Housing shortages caused by decades of underbuilding and abuse of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA); Gas prices inflated by abnormal fuel blend mandates and layered state taxes; Utility rate hikes driven by wildfire liability and lack of infrastructure modernization; Water scarcity and costs worsened by failure to build new dams or reservoirs in over 50 years, despite voters approving Proposition 1 which allocated $7.5 billion to water infrastructure in 2014; Insurance market instability due to rigid regulatory frameworks like Prop 103; Punitive labor laws such as the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA), making it riskier to hire workers; An overall anti-business climate marked by overregulation and litigation threats. 25 ACTIONS A FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVE CAN TAKE TO HELP Despite these state-level challenges, Candidate for Congress Verbica lays out 25 actionable federal strategies aimed at reducing costs and improving conditions for California residents: Housing Tie the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funding to local zoning reform and faster permitting. Expand Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) allocations. Reform the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to streamline federal land development. Repurpose federal surplus land for housing. Fund scalable modular housing technology. Pilot CEQA-exempt housing projects on federal land. Create federal grants for local governments that & Transportation Standardize clean fuel blends nationally. Request EPA waivers to allow broader gasoline availability. Investigate fuel market manipulation. Expand EV charging networks in low-income areas. Incentivize remote work through federal tax & Wildfire Resilience Increase Federal Emergency Management (FEMA)/ Department of Energy (DOE) grid-hardening grants. Launch a federal wildfire reinsurance or bond market. Fund fuel reduction on federal forest land. Modernize interstate grid connectivity through the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).Water Infrastructure Fund critical storage projects like Sites Reservoir. Invest in desalination and recycling initiatives. Direct United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)/Interior support to agriculture efficiency. Reform federal Environmental Species Act (ESA) water-use rules to balance & Business Climate Consider the preemption of harmful labor regulations for interstate commerce. Establish a federal "safe harbor" employment category for startups, gig workers, and agricultural employees. Hold hearings on the economic impact of PAGA. Provide tax incentives for reshoring California manufacturing. Expand Small Business Administration (SBA) legal and compliance resources for small businesses. A FEDERAL PARTNER IN STATEWIDE REFORM "The cost of living in California shouldn't be a reason to leave," US. Congressional Candidate Verbica adds. "We can't solve everything in Washington, but we can be a strong partner in turning things around. This plan is just the beginning, and we look forward to the very real possibility of working in cooperation with a Republican governor in California." US. Congressional Candidate Verbica plans to introduce or support legislation aligned with these recommendations, while coordinating with local officials, stakeholders, and agencies to ensure federal support is targeted where it's most needed. Incumbent politicians had their chance, and they refused to structurally fix social security for current and future generations. They are not the solution; they are part of the problem. Vote for Peter Verbica for Congress. Peter Coe Verbica is a fiscal conservative running for United States Congress, California District 19. The district covers Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Luis Obispo Counties. Verbica grew up on a cattle ranch and graduated from Bellarmine College Prep, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara University School of Law, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Peter Verbica is a CFP® professional and a Principal and Managing Director at Silicon Private Wealth. He has four adult daughters. He and his wife enjoy hiking, playing tennis and horseback riding. His family donated the heart of Henry Coe State Park, the largest state park in Northern California. For more information on the campaign, please visit Paid for by Verbica for Congress. Contact:Peter Coe Verbica***@ Photo(s): Press release distributed by PRLog View original content: SOURCE Verbica for Congress
