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September
eNews
Friends,
My September newsletter is here. Inside you will find a
recap of my day as Governor, information about my efforts to increase
funding for higher education, an article discussing Ovarian Cancer
Awareness Month and several upcoming events in the 78th Assembly
District. And, of course, there are photos of district events and
people and a schedule of upcoming community office hours by my office.
IN THIS ISSUE:
A Note from Toni –
There was good news for California’s water future on August 13th, when the Legislature and the Governor came together in a bipartisan way to place a comprehensive $7.5 billion water bond on the November ballot.
The Water Quality, Supply and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014 was the culmination of a lot of hard work and serious negotiation, including Assembly hearings up and down the state to ensure that every region’s concerns were considered.
The result of those negotiations is a bond that meets the state’s critical needs at an affordable cost.
This bond is good for the state—as a whole, and region by region. That’s why, in the Assembly,
77 Democrats and Republicans all came together to approve it. Governor Brown, right before signing the measure, said he had never seen Republicans and Democrats working so well together in his lifetime.
This bond is California’s biggest investment in water storage in decades. It also makes major investments in clean, sustainable groundwater and in our rivers, streams, and watersheds, which will help with our water needs and provide important environmental benefits as well.
With this bond we harness innovative technology, we anticipate the challenges that future droughts may bring, and we create jobs.
From the discussions we have had over the past few months, it is clear we need to improve our water infrastructure. We need to get ready now for the next drought, and we need to do the right thing for California’s water future.
By passing this bond the Legislature took a big step forward in providing clean, safe, reliable water for the people of California. And I’m proud of my colleagues—and water users around the state who took part in the negotiations—for stepping up and making this possible.
Warmly,
 TONI G. ATKINS
Governor for a Day
On July 30, I had the honor and privilege of serving as Governor of California for a day while Governor Jerry Brown, Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom, and Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg were all out of the state.
Fortunately, there were no disasters or emergencies that required my action, so I was able to have a little fun being California’s fourth Governor in four days.
I issued a proclamation declaring July 30, 2014 as Tony Gwynn Day, in honor of our legendary Padre who had 3,141 hits and a .338 batting average. He also represented the Padres in the All-Star Game 15 times and was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007. In the proclamation I asked all Californians to join in honoring the memory of someone whose talent, sportsmanship and humanity represent the very best of our state.
I also issued a proclamation honoring the Lambda Archives of San Diego on their 27th Anniversary.
The Lambda Archives collections include both recent materials, such as items related to protesting Proposition 8, and items dating back to the 1930s, documenting the growth and evolution of San Diego’s dynamic LGBT community. These collections have proven invaluable in educating and empowering the community and in providing source material for researchers. Lambda Archives of San Diego also provides educational displays and exhibits for San Diego Pride, the San Diego Public Library, local colleges and universities and other community organizations.
Speaker Atkins on Jimmy Kimmel Live
Later in the day I was asked to appear on Jimmy Kimmel Live to discuss my brief time as Governor. Jimmy joked about me invading Oregon or changing all Governor Brown’s passwords, but I decided to stay the course and be a responsible Governor!
Clearly, my time as acting governor was short and uneventful. But the fact that a young girl growing up in poverty in rural Virginia could end up becoming Speaker of the Assembly and getting the opportunity to be Acting Governor of California speaks volumes about our great nation.
At the end of the day, I was grateful to have received this unique opportunity to act as Governor for a day. The only drawback was having to tell Acting First Dogs Haley and Joey that Sutter Brown was back in his rightful position—I think they would have liked more time in the spotlight!
Below are links to my appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live:
Higher Education Funding
September is back-to-school season and students and families alike are pinching pennies to pay for college. Financial aid programs such as the Middle Class Scholarship and Cal Grants are available to ensure that California’s finest institutions are affordable.
The Middle Class Scholarship program, championed by Speaker Emeritus John A. Pérez in the Assembly last year, begins this fall and offers significant relief to students and families struggling with the rising cost of college education. It can cut student fees at University of California and California State University campuses by up to 40 percent for families earning up to $150,000 a year.
Many students also qualify for Cal Grants, which offer up to $12,000 a year in money that you don’t have to pay back. The budget we just passed increases the Cal Grant B access award by $175, the largest increase today’s high school seniors have seen during their lifetime.
While there have been many developments in higher education funding, we received unwelcome news in July from the Department of Finance – the 2013-14 property tax revenues did not exceed projections, nullifying a budget trigger that would have provided an additional $100 million for the UC and CSU systems. Therefore, I proposed legislation that would allocate $100 million to the higher education systems from higher than expected general fund revenues – and the Senate has agreed. It is my hope that the Governor will restore this necessary funding.
After years of cuts and tuition increases, we cannot afford to continue putting California’s students on the backburner. Education must always be a priority for us because California’s students have the right to an affordable, quality education.
The Assembly has made a serious commitment to California’s students to provide the best public education. This effort, coupled with the Middle Class Scholarship program and Cal Grants, preserves the prestige and affordability of our UC and CSU systems.
Getting To and From School Safely
A childish sense of adventure often comes with a bruised knee or a scraped elbow. But that’s just kids being kids. According to the National Safe Kids Campaign, unintentional injuries are the largest cause of death to children in the United States, and I’m not talking about the accidental bump on the forehead. In the chaos of back-to-school season, our children are especially vulnerable to unintentional injury-related deaths when they walk, bus, or drive to school.
The San Diego Unified School District website has several guidelines for student safety, set by the National Safe Kids Campaign. By following these tips, we can do our part to ensure the safety of our young students:
- Don’t let children under the age of 10 cross the street by themselves.
- Teach your children to follow traffic signals and pavement markings.
- Remind them to look both ways before crossing the street.
If you take the bus…
- Stay out of the bus driver’s blind spot—he or she can’t see you.
- Remain seated while on the bus, and don’t distract the driver.
When driving…
- Arrive early—especially the first few weeks of school—and use the school's designated student drop-off and pick-up zone.
- Do not double park or make u-turns in front of the school. Police officers are issuing citations for traffic violations and there is no warning or grace period.
The San Diego Unified School District has many more tips to help keep our children safe. Visit their website to learn more.
Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month
September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month.
With about 22,000 women diagnosed with ovarian cancer every year, this type of cancer ranks as the fifth leading cause of cancer death among women.
Risk of ovarian cancer increases with age, but if caught early, the five-year survival rate is about 93%. Some of the more common symptoms are:
- Bloating
- Pelvic or abdominal pain
- Trouble eating or feeling full quickly
- Urinary symptoms such as urgency
Less common symptoms can even appear similar to common ailments, like fatigue, upset stomach, or back pain.
Ovarian Cancer affects everyone, men and women, families and friends. If we do our part to increase awareness and early detection, we can save lives.
RCFE Reform
As Baby Boomers head into their retirement years, California is on track to become the state with the largest percentage of its population over the age of 65. Our state is projected to experience, over the next few decades, what demographers are calling the Aging Boom. Older adults have a broad range of needs, and many may choose to have some of those needs met by residing in an assisted-living facility. Unfortunately, standards of care in some of these facilities have fallen below reasonable expectations.
Here in our own community, there have been disturbing reports about needless suffering due to neglect or insufficient care. These reports, difficult as they were to hear, highlighted the need for better oversight and regulation of residential care facilities.
Stories of needless suffering and premature deaths were heard as a call to action in the Capitol. We all have high expectations for the care our loved ones receive, and we must do everything to ensure that those standards are met.
The Assembly has recently written several bills to improve conditions in residential care facilities for the elderly. In addition to increased insurance coverage, these bills would tighten up investigation timelines and improve staff training standards, making assisted-living facilities more responsive to the needs of their residents.
The demand for assisted living facilities has grown considerably over the past three decades, with the number of beds more than doubling in the 1990s alone. California is aging, so these reforms are becoming more important with every passing year. These elderly care reforms will provide a common sense approach to enhance capacity, monitoring and safety for residents, and they will grant them the assurance of accountability they so justly deserve.
September 11th Remembrance
September 11th, 2001 was among the darkest days in American history. The devastating attacks on American soil will never be forgotten. This year, I’m encouraging everyone to honor the victims of the horrific September 11th attacks in a day of charitable service.
The 9-11 Memorial Stair Climb will take place on September 7th, 2014 to benefit the Firefighters Aid and the National Firefighters Foundation at 1 Park Blvd. For more information call 760-692-2900, email Info@inmotionevents.com or visit www.sandiegostairclimb.com.
San Diego State University’s ROTC units will perform a memorial flag raising ceremony and a silent memorial lowering of the flag to half-staff at 10 a.m. on their campus.
The San Diego Chapter of New York City Firefighters conducts a poignant ceremony on the flight deck of the Midway Museum, reading the names of all who lost their lives that day. It’s an annual tradition, open to the public. For more information go to http://www.midway.org/.
Participating in a September 11th event reminds us all that we must remain united locally and nationally and work together to achieve peace.
Sorrento Valley Double Track
Work is underway to add parking spaces for rail commuters in Sorrento Valley.
In efforts to modernize a vital and aging coastal railway corridor, the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) has begun work on a new parking lot serving the Sorrento Valley COASTER Station. This additional lot is expected to provide 189 new parking spaces.
Planned improvements to the rail line seek to cut down on travel times and increase ridership. These enhancements require additional parking spaces to serve passengers. According to SANDAG, this section of the coastal rail is the second-busiest inner-city rail line in the nation, and it’s the only practical rail link between San Diego and the rest of the state. Construction will take place mainly between the hours of 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. and is estimated to be complete by the end of October this year.
Projects to be completed further down the line include laying new track, replacing old bridges, and raising the tracks above the 50-year flood line. Altogether, these projects will create a more viable, dependable means of transporting members of our community.
78th Assembly Student Winners
The LegiSchool Project is a civic education collaboration project between California State University, Sacramento, and the California State Legislature, administered by the Center for California Studies. The Project's mission is to engage young people in matters of public policy and state government by creating opportunities for students and state leaders to meet and share ideas on the problems affecting Californians.
Core activities coordinated and administered by the LegiSchool Project include an annual essay and photo contest. This year, three photos from University City High School in the 78th Assembly were entered. Estefany Sandoval was selected as a finalist for her photograph, “The Languid Sun.” Other student entries were Sepehr Ardebilian Fard for “Golden Walk” and Dominic Lewis for “The Pier.” Student photos were displayed at the State Capitol for two weeks.
Faye Ortiz from the Academy of Our Lady of the Peace won the essay contest for her writing on gun control versus gun rights. Ten winning essayists from around the state received a trip to the State Capitol to talk with lawmakers about their viewpoint on gun laws in California. For more information, go to www.csus.edu/legischool.
Around the Capitol
The Alliance for Boys and Men of Color, joined by Sisterhood Rising, visited the Capitol as part of their annual advocacy day. Over a two-day period, more than 300 members of these groups met with over 75 legislative offices. I had the opportunity to meet with several young men and women who are working to improve the status of minority youth. Many shared their life stories and concerns with me and I am committed to continuing to support the important work of the Assembly Select Committee of Boys and Men of Color.
Operation Dress Code, a statewide clothing drive to collect professional clothing for women veterans, took place in August. We owe a tremendous debt to everyone who wears the uniform – even after they’ve taken it off. Many veterans, especially women veterans, continue to experience challenges finding jobs. It’s important to take every chance we can to help veterans cross the finish line from applicant to employee. By donating, we can help women veterans transition from military uniforms to civilian careers.
I had the privilege of meeting with LGBT legislative staff and allies at the LGBT Caucus brown bag lunch get-together, where we discussed the current state of LGBT equality here in California, the nation, and around the world. Individuals from all areas of the Capitol attended. The LGBT Caucus plays a key role in decision-making here in the legislature, and its presence lends a unique perspective in the debate about civil rights and equality in our state.
Around the District
Here I am with Nancy Gannon Hornberger, CEO of SAY San Diego, Inc. (Social Advocates for Youth), and Joe Buehrle, Director of San Diego Military Family Collaborative. I was honored to attend the Military Collaborative Conference where many dynamic and diverse organizations came together to help make the military experience better for active duty families and for veterans and their families.
I joined members of the Building and Construction Trades, Sheetmetal Workers, and their community partners for a reception. I look forward to working with them to ensure labor standards for public works projects are safe for all workers.
I met with members of the California Nurse-Midwives Association to discuss their valuable work as part of a solution to the shortage of primary care providers for women, babies and families in California.
I met with small business owners in the 78th Assembly District who are part of the Small Business Advisory Council. They shared their experiences and recommendations for improving California's business climate.
We discussed connecting small businesses with The California Competes Tax Credit which is an income tax credit available to businesses that want to come to California or stay and grow in California.
Tax credit agreements are negotiated by GO-Biz and approved by a newly created “California Competes Tax Credit Committee,” consisting of the State Treasurer, the Director of the Department of Finance, the Director of GO-Biz, one appointee each by me and the Senate Committee on Rules. For more information, follow this link:http://www.business.ca.gov/Programs/CaliforniaCompetesTaxCredit.aspx.
Upcoming Events in the District
September 5-7
25th Annual Sycuan Pow-Wow
The Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation presents a traditional celebration featuring Indian song, dance, arts and crafts, games and food, held at the Sycuan Reservation in San Diego's East County.
September 12 - 14
San Diego Bayfair
This thrilling event features thunderboat racing, tunnel hulls, drag boats, hydroplanes, fireworks and concerts, as well as specialty vendors and food, along and on the waters of Mission Bay.
September 13 & 14
Coronado Art Walk 2014 The 2014 Coronado Art Walk will be held Saturday and Sunday at the Coronado Ferry Landing from 10:00 a.m. till 5:00 p.m.
September 27
AIDS Walk/Run in San DiegoOver 8,000 individuals, teams, social clubs, local businesses, schools and universities, faith organizations will come together for AIDS Walk/Run to remember those who have been lost to the disease and raise funds to support the more than 20,000 San Diegans living with HIV/AIDS. My office will be sponsoring a water station to keep the runners/walkers hydrated! Hope to see you there!
September 27
Endless Summer 2014: A Classic Car Show
South Bay Cruisers and the City of Imperial Beach present Endless Summer 2014: A Classic Car Show on Seacoast Drive in Imperial Beach benefiting the Imperial Beach Boys and Girls Club. The event is on Saturday, September 27 form 9 AM to 2 PM.
33nd Annual Adams Avenue Street Fair
One of the largest free music street fairs in California, the event features over 70 live musical acts, held on six stages, along with three beer gardens, giant carnival rides and 300 craft and food vendors.
September 27 & 28
Cabrillo Festival
The exploration of the U.S. West Coast by Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo in 1542 is commemorated at Cabrillo National Monument on Point Loma.
Mobile Office Hours
Tuesday, September 2
4 to 5:30 p.m.
Central Library
Mary Hollis Clark Conference Center
330 Park Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92101
Wednesday, September 3
6 to 7 p.m.
University Heights Library
4193 Park Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92103
Monday, September 8
11 a.m. to noon
North University City Library
8820 Judicial Drive
San Diego, CA 92122
Wednesday, September 10
1 to 2 p.m.
North Park Library
3795 31st Street
San Diego, CA 92104
Thursday, September 11
10 to 11 a.m.
Del Mar County Library
1309 Camino Del Mar
Del Mar, CA 92014
Saturday, September 13
11 a.m. to noon
Solana Beach County Library
Earl Warren Middle School
157 Stevens Ave.
Solana Beach, CA 92075
Tuesday, September 16
4 to 5 p.m.
University Community Branch Library
4155 Governor Drive
San Diego, CA 92122
Tuesday, September 16
5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Pacific Beach Library
4275 Cass Street
San Diego, CA 92109
Wednesday, September 24
12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
Pt. Loma/Hervey Library
3701 Voltaire Street
San Diego, CA 92122
Wednesday, September 24
5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
North Park Library
3795 31st Street
San Diego, CA 92104
Thursday, September 25
4 to 5 p.m.
La Jolla/Riford Library
7555 Draper Avenue
La Jolla, CA 92037
Friday, September 26
5 to 6 p.m.
Dempsey Holder Safety Center
950 Ocean Lane
Imperial Beach, CA 91932
Warmly,
Toni
G. Atkins
Speaker of the Assembly
78th Assembly District
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