With the passage of additional state budget bills by the Legislature, Assembly Majority Leader Eloise Gómez Reyes (D-San Bernardino) highlighted local funding priorities that were included in the state budget.
“With the passage of the state budget and associated budget bills California has prioritized greater investments in education, homelessness prevention and stimulus payments to working families,” said Assemblymember Reyes. “This budget package responds to the priorities of Californians and puts this state on a path to a prosperous future built on equity and inclusion. Among this progressive spending proposal are several local funding measures that I and stakeholders advocated for, and I am excited to see those included in the budget as well.”
The state budget package includes the following local funding proposals:
• $4 million to keep KVCR open as the educational broadcast arm of the San Bernardino Community College District. KVCR is the only locally-owned and operated public media outlet in the Inland Empire.
• $1 million to the City of San Bernardino to rehabilitate and expand the Garcia Center for the Arts.
• $31 million for a workforce training hub at San Bernardino Valley College.
• $6 million for Crafton Hills College to replace the outdated Finkelstein Performing Arts Center.
• $200,000 for the Colton Hutton Senior Center to continue serving the senior community.
• $1 million for an International Healing Garden facility at Rialto Unified School District.
• $1.5 million for relocation and completion of Ayala Park
• $200,000 for a mobile food bank for the Community Action Partnership of San Bernardino County Foodbank.
• $103,400 for the County of San Bernardino for a Medical Assistant Workforce Development Program.
• $10 million for a homeless youth emergency service pilot project for Counties of Orange, Fresno, El Dorado and San Bernardino.
• $6 million for parent and youth civic engagement for Inland Congregations United for Change.
• $182 million to the Emergency Food Assistance Program which provides grants to the California Association of Foodbank including food banks in the Inland Empire.
• $150 million grant program to provide financial relief to live performance venues for recovery from economic consequences of COVID-19. Grant program will be available to local venues such as the Inland Empire 66ers minor league baseball team.
• $10 million for a housing complex in Riverside for homeless LGBTQ youth from the Inland Empire.
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