Dear Friend,
This month is National Women's History Month. While it's important to recognize the sacrifices made by women in the past, be sure to give thanks to the mothers, grandmothers, aunts, sisters, and daughters who have made a difference in your life.
IN THIS ISSUE:
A Note from Toni
Upcoming Events in the District
What We're Working on in the Capitol
Balboa Park - 100 Years After the Expo
River Kids Discovery Days With Team Toni
Read Across America
Mobile Office Hours
Join me on Social Media
A Note from ToniMarch is National Women's History Month. Every year the National Women's History Project selects a theme through which to examine women's history. This year's theme, "Weaving the Stories of Women's Lives," reminds us that women's voices matter.
Women are an integral part of our nation's history, from Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton who inspired the nation-wide women's suffrage movement, to California-nativeSally Ride, who was both the first woman and youngest American to travel to space. While these women have set historical milestones, this year's theme recognizes the everyday contributions that women make to our society.
Women make a big impact whether or not their deeds are recorded in history books. Nearly half of all households with children under the age of 18 include mothers who are either the sole or primary source of income. In addition to being the cornerstone of many California families, women are leaders in sectors as diverse as biotech, hospitality and education.
Unfortunately, gender disparities still exist in the workplace. Nationally, women continue to make an average of 77 cents for every dollar made by their male counterparts. This statistic hasn't budged in the last decade. Despite holding 52% of all professional level jobs, women only account for 14% of executive officers and only 8% are top earners.
That is why this year the Legislative Women's Caucus is focusing their legislative agenda on securing economic opportunity for all women and families. We will be looking at legislation to ensure fair pay and just working conditions, expand affordable childcare, and to ensure that working families have the resources and opportunities they need to provide for their loved ones.
We also look forward to recognizing extraordinary women from our communities during our annual Woman of the Year ceremony in Sacramento. This year's honoree is Ms. Betty Peabody of Point Loma. For the last 30 years, Betty Peabody has worked toward the success of San Diego's treasured Balboa Park through her duties as a founding member of the Balboa Park Millennium Society, a member of the board of directors of the San Diego Museum of Man, and as a member of the Central Balboa Park Association. It's fitting to honor Betty - particularly as we celebrate the Centennial of the California-Panama Exposition in Balboa Park. Over the course of her career she was also a historian and author of "Women Physicians in Early San Diego." She served on many community boards while helping raise four children and eight grandchildren.
Ms. Peabody's story is a microcosm for the contributions that women make all over California and our great nation. Women bring diverse perspectives to the work place. They support their families financially and emotionally. They make our communities stronger. This month, take the opportunity to say thank you to the women who make a difference in your life.
Warmly,
Toni G. Atkins
Speaker of the Assembly
78th Assembly District
P.S. For more information about Women's History Month and this year's national honorees, please visit www.nwhp.org/.
Upcoming Events in the District
Now until May 9
Daily
Every spring the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® San Diego team launches their Movers for Moms® donation drive. From now until Mother's Day they will be collecting personal hygiene products, gently used clothing and small gifts for women and children staying at Becky's House. Contact: (858) 877-2100 or marisa.elias@twomen.com.
March 1
Grand Opening of Prebys Cardiovascular Institute
10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Cost: Free
Prebys Cardiovascular Institute, 9888 Genesee Avenue, La Jolla
Scripps will celebrate the grand opening of the Prebys Cardiovascular Institute with an openhouse featuring tours of the most advanced center for cardiovascular care anywhere on the West Coast. Contact: Keith Darce, darce.keith@scrippshealth.org, or (800)-SCRIPPS. More information is available here.
Free Weekend
12 - 5 p.m.
Cost: Free for Members
San Diego Museum of Art, 1450 El Prado, Balboa Park, San Diego
In January, the museum welcomed its newest acquisition, a significant painting by Zurbaran, with a weekend of free admission. The celebration continues with a new work by Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida and another free weekend, Feb. 28 - March 1. More information is availablehere.
March 1 - 7
Various Times
Cost: Free with Admission
The New Children's Museum, 200 W. Island Avenue, San Diego
Celebrate literacy all week long with storytelling, art-making activities and special workshops at The New Children's Museum! Contact: Lauren Calvillo, (619) 233-8792 ormarketing@thinkplaycreate.org. More information is available here.
March 1-29:
"You Can't Take It With You"
Tuesday-Thursday: 7:30 p.m, Friday-Saturday: 8 p.m; matinees on select Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays
Cost: $22-72, with youth, military, senior discounts
1142 Orange Avenue, Coronado
The theater's run of George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart's classic comedy, set during the Great Depression, continues. Click here for more information,
March 4 - 28
5:30 - 6:30 p.m.
Cost: Free for military and family
San Diego Central Library, 330 Park Boulevard, San Diego
Military and family are encouraged to join Warriors For Healing at San Diego Central Library, every Wednesday from 5:30-6:30 p.m. for an evening of yoga. Through the science of Yoga, Warriors For Healing is devoted to bringing Yoga science to veterans suffering as a result of experiencing traumatic events in their lives. As a yoga community we have the ability to join forces around a shared purpose. Contact: (619) 308-6896 orChristina@oliveprsolutions.com.
March 6
Mullets for Mental Health
11 a.m.
Cost: Free
Disconnected Salon, 3830 30th Street, San Diego
The San Diego Center for Children, San Diego's oldest children's non-profit, provides therapeutic care, specialized education and critical life skills to over 1,000 children and their families every day. The "Mullets for Mental Health Day" Salon Event encourages the community to get free mullet haircut or purchase a mullet wig to bring awareness to the issue of mental health. The March Mullet campaign raises funds to help support those currently suffering from mental illness by financially contributing to existing mental health resources. Contact: (858) 453-9600 or beh@behmedia.com.
March 7
San Diego Canoe Club Open House
9 - 11:30 a.m.
Cost: Free
Campland on the Bay Marina, 2211 Pacific Beach Drive, San Diego
Come and try the sport of 6-man outrigger canoeing. Everyone is welcome at this regular free weekly Saturday morning open house organized by friendly San Diego Outrigger Canoe Club.
March 7-8
Seaport Village Busker Festival
All Day
Cost: Free
Seaport Village, 849 W. Harbor Drive, San Diego
Seaport Village will welcome strange and extraordinary acts from around the world to its 9th annual Spring Busker Festival. The celebration brings colorful street performers - from jugglers on unicycles to stilt walkers, contortionists and acrobalancers - to the waterfront shopping, dining and entertainment district. Parking and a shuttle service will be available for festival-goers. When the sun sets, Seaport Village lets the street performers loose for Buskers After Dark. For more information click here.
March 8
Scripps Cancer Clinic Research Forum
4 - 5:30 p.m.
Cost: Free
Scripps Radiation Therapy Center, 10670 John J. Hopkins Drive, San Diego
San Diego County residents can learn about a variety of clinical research trial options for cancer care at a free public presentation led by Scripps Cancer Center. Contact: Steve Carpowich, (858) 678-7183 or carpowich.stephen@scrippshealth.org. More information is available here.
March 14:
St. Patrick's Day Parade & Festival
9 a.m. - 6 p.m., parade begins at 10:30 a.m.
Cost: Free
5th and 6th Avenues, between Juniper and Upas Streets, San Diego
The parade, starting at 6th and Juniper, goes north along 5th before circling back south on 6th. Entries include the reigning Miss Colleen and Smiling Irishman, marching bands, floats, the Emerald Societies, bagpipe contingents and dancing groups. The Festival opens at 9 a.m. and includes food and crafts with live entertainment on two stages beginning at 11 a.m..
Taste of Imperial Beach
1 p.m.
Cost: $10
Route begins at Palm Avenue and Seacoast Drive, Imperial Beach
The Imperial Beach Business Improvement District presents its 12th Annual Taste of Imperial Beach for local businesses to showcase and market their products and services. A variety of local restaurants will provide samples of their menus, while other businesses will offer discounts and fun activities. For more information on tickets, call the Imperial Beach Chamber of Commerce at (619) 424-3151.
March 21
San Diego Sings!
11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Cost: Free
Spreckels Organ Pavilion, 1549 El Prado, San Diego
San Diego Sings! Festival 2015 brings together 20 of San Diego's top choral groups in a free day-long concert. Participating performers range from children's choruses and barbershop groups to a symphony chorus, and from community choirs and women's groups to a Norwegian male chorus and a Chinese choral society. Contact: Carol Manifold,manifold@pobox.com. More information here.
6 - 10 p.m.
Cost: Free
South Park Business District, San Diego
What's a South Park Walkabout? It's a fun-filled evening festival to introduce you to the shops and cafes of our charming, hip and historic 'hood. Contact: Melanie Michaud or Julia Perez,SouthParkSanDiego@gmail.com.
What We're Working on In the Capitol
The Assembly went red for the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women Campaign, which raises awareness about heart disease in women.
Affordable HousingThe Assembly Democratic Caucus is committed to alleviating poverty in California by reducing homelessness and increasing housing affordability. The package of legislation will:
Work to establish a permanent source of funding for affordable housing
Increase the Low Income Housing Tax Credit by $300 million
Designate the Department of Housing and Community Development as the state agency responsible for administering the federal Housing Trust Fund pursuant to the multifamily housing program, except that up to 10% of the funds may be appropriated by the Legislature to the CalHome Program.
Use a portion of the Proposition 47 funds to fund rapid rehousing and tenant-based housing assistance for formerly incarcerated Californians.
Higher Education Funding
Delivering the opening remarks to the first zero-based budgeting hearing with Assembly Republican Leader Kristin Olsen.
The Assembly is holding hearings on the University of California budget to examine closely the UC's finances. The public hearings are student-focused and will determine how much it really costs to educate students at UC, and how we maximize UC's acceptance of California students. The UC Board of Regents voted to increase tuition by 27.5% over the next five years in November.The Assembly Democrats have proposed an alternative plan that rejects tuition increases for in-state students and caps enrollment for out-of-state students to increase accountability and affordability.
Pacific to Plate
The legislation would:
Allow Fishermen's Markets to operate as food facilities and for fresh fish to be cleaned for direct sale at the markets, and
Streamline the permit process, so commercial fishermen can organize under a single permit—just as Certified Farmers' Markets do.
The bill has attracted broad bipartisan support from San Diego's state delegation. Assemblymembers Rocky Chávez, Brian Jones, Brian Maienschein, Marie Waldron and Shirley Weber are co-sponsoring "Pacific to Plate," along with state Senators Joel Anderson, Patricia Bates, Marty Block and Ben Hueso.
Research and Development Tax Credits
AB 437 allows small businesses with $5 million or less in gross receipts to cash out a portion of the tax credits they have earned and use them to reinvest in further research and development. This bill authorizes eligible businesses to cash out 10% of all tax credits received in 2014 and 2015. From 2016 onward, eligible businesses will be able to cash out 15% of the credits generated. Any remaining credits would be carried forward by the businesses.
Data from the Franchise Tax Board shows that there were $100 million in tax credits generated for businesses with $1 million to $10 million in gross receipts, but only $13 million of those credits were used. Small and medium businesses earned the research and development credits but weren't able to use them due to lack of tax liability.
Transportation Funding
We're stepping up and proposing $10 billion for transportation infrastructure—$2 billion per year over the next 5 years—starting in 2015-16.
That includes a Road User Charge, which is estimated to amount to about a dollar a week for most drivers.
With 33 million registered vehicles, California has more cars on the road than any other state. And motorists are traveling farther each year: vehicle miles traveled in California have climbed more than 25% from 259 billion miles traveled in 1990 to 326 billion in 2012.
According to multiple studies in recent years, California faces numerous transportation problems:
California has the second-highest share of roads in "poor condition" in the nation.
Some 58% of state roads need rehabilitation or pavement maintenance.
Nearly 1/3 of our bridges and overpasses show signs of deterioration, or do not meet design standards.
Wildlife Protections
In response to the global wildlife crisis in which an average of 96 elephants are being slaughtered daily for their ivory in Africa, I introduced AB 96 to close loopholes that prevent the effective enforcement of existing California law prohibiting the sale of ivory.
AB 96 would prohibit a person from purchasing, selling, offering for sale, possessing with intent to sell, or importing with intent to sell elephant ivory or rhinoceros horn, except as specified under very limited educational and scientific circumstances, and would make this prohibition enforceable by the Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The bill would make a violation of this provision a misdemeanor subject to specified graduated criminal penalties. In addition to the specified criminal penalties, the bill would authorize the department to impose a civil penalty of up to $10,000 for a violation of this provision or any rule, regulation, or order adopted pursuant to this provision.
Balboa Park - 100 Years After the Expo
It's one thing to stop and acknowledge that a century has passed since the world converged on San Diego for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition.
But it's another thing entirely to see the actual posters, brochures, photos and bric-a-brac produced from those times gone by.
Yet it's possible at the Marston House Museum and the San Diego History Center, which both feature exhibits filled with expo memorabilia and mementoes.
An expo medal from the Marston House “Souvenirs and Keepsakes” exhibit.
Keepsake boxes from 1915-16, part of the Marston House exhibit.
The Marston House exhibit, "Souvenirs and Keepsakes: Memorabilia of the 1915 & 1935 Expositions" includes medals, keepsake boxes, pennants and ribbons largely provided for display by two collectors who meticulously searched for and acquired hundreds of items produced for the exposition.At the San Diego History Center, two exhibits commemorate the anniversary. "San Diego Invites the World: The 1915 Expo" includes silent film footage, postcards, photos and maps from 1915, while "Masterworks: Art of the Exhibition Era" includes 10 pieces of art that were on display a century ago.
At the San Diego History Center, "San Diego Invites the World" continues through March 31, while "Masterworks" will be open until January 3, 2016.
The Marston House exhibit continues through November 30.
Adult admission at the Marston House Museum is $15. At the San Diego History Center it's $10. Both feature discounts for seniors and youths. This is part of a monthly feature in the newsletter spotlighting aspects of the 2015 centennial celebration.
River Kids Discovery Days with Team Toni
After helping with the WeAllCount homeless campaign in downtown San Diego in January and a Wildcoast cleanup in Imperial Beach in February, this month we'll be part of River Kids Discovery Days, sponsored by the San Diego River Park Foundation.
I will be one of the many volunteers fanning out the morning of Saturday, March 14, to clean and beautify sites along the 52-mile river. I would be pleased if you would join me for a project near the San Diego Estuary where we will be painting a community art project along the river trail south of SeaWorld.
Team Toni is our volunteer effort to improve neighborhoods throughout the 78th Assembly District. Whether you are interested in the environment, want to learn more about the river or just give back to your community, it would be great for you to be part of River Kids Discovery Days.
Email me at Speaker.Atkins@assembly.ca.gov if you want to join in or visit the San Diego River Park Foundation website for a full list of volunteer opportunities.
Read Across America
This March, one of the San Diego area's all time most beloved residents will show millions of children across the country the places they'll go.
The National Education Association (NEA) will hold its annual Read Across America Day on Monday, March 2. This year's book of choice: Oh, The Places You'll Go, written by beloved children's book author Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss.
The event serves to motivate children to read in order to ensure success in school. The NEA also provides parents, teachers, and children with resources to keep books in hands throughout the year. The Association has turned to a timeless author, whose birthday is marked by the event, for help.
Of all the places he went, Seuss called the San Diego area his home. A Massachusetts native, Seuss moved to La Jolla with his wife Audrey after World War II. It was there he wrote several classics such as Horton Hears a Who!, The Cat in the Hat, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and Green Eggs and Ham.
Seuss passed away at age 87 in his La Jolla home in 1991. In 1995, University of California, San Diego's University Library was renamed Geisel Library in honor of Seuss and his wife's generous contributions to the library and to improving literacy.
Visit the NEA's website for more information about Read Across America Day.
Mobile Office Hours
Tuesday, March 3
4 to 5 p.m.
Central Library
Mary Hollis Clark Conference Center
330 Park Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92101
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Wednesday, March 4
6 to 7 p.m.
University Heights Library
4193 Park Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92103
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Wednesday, March 11
1 to 2 p.m.
North Park Library
3795 31st Street
San Diego, CA 92104
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Thursday, March 12
10 to 11 a.m.
Solana Beach County Library
Earl Warren Middle School
157 Stevens Ave.
Solana Beach, CA 92075
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Thursday, March 12
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Del Mar County Library
1309 Camino Del Mar
Del Mar, CA 92014
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Saturday, March 14
12:30 to 1:30 p.m. With Speaker Atkins
Mission Valley Library
2123 Fenton Parkway
San Diego, CA 92108
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Tuesday, March 17
4 to 5 p.m.
University Community Branch Library
4155 Governor Drive
San Diego, CA 92122
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Tuesday, March 17
5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Pacific Beach Library
4275 Cass Street
San Diego, CA 92109
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Wednesday, March 18
4:30 to 5:30 p.m.
San Diego Law Library
1105 Front Street
San Diego, CA 92101
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Thursday, March 19
4 to 5 p.m.
La Jolla/Riford Library
7555 Draper Avenue
La Jolla, CA 92037
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Wednesday, March 25
12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
Pt. Loma/Hervey Library
3701 Voltaire Street
San Diego, CA 92107
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Thursday, March 26
3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Coronado Library
640 Orange Ave.
Coronado, CA 92118
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Thursday, March 26
5 to 6 p.m.
Imperial Beach County Library
810 Imperial Beach Blvd.
Imperial Beach, CA 91932
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Get DirectionsWarmly,
Toni G. Atkins
Speaker of the Assembly
78th Assembly District
P.S. Social media is a great way to connect with my office! Use the icons below to like my page on Facebook and follow me on Twitter.
Website: http://www.asmdc.org/speakerEmail: Speaker Toni G. Atkins
Capitol Office:
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, California 94249-0078 United States
Tel: (916) 319-2078
Fax: (916) 319-2178 District Office:
1350 Front Street
Room 6054
San Diego, California 92101 United States
Tel: (619) 645-3090
Fax: (619) 645-3094
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