Evans Legislation Saves Money, Brings in Federal Funds
California Political Desk
October 07, 2009
(SACRAMENTO, CA) Assemblymember Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa) calls on the governor to sign legislation now pending at his desk that will save money and bring California more federal dollars.
"We must seize every opportunity to save money and bring in more federal dollars," said Evans. "After withstanding historic budget cuts to education and health care, Californians need to know their government strives to do more with less. The governor can send that message by signing these bills."
Aside from authoring several cost cutting measures as Chair of the Assembly Budget Committee, Evans has authored four additional bills to save money or draw down more federal funds. All await action by the governor by October 11.
Assembly Bill (AB) 94 re-authorizes the Natural Heritage Preservation Tax Credit program, which expired in June of last year. This General Fund-neutral credit enables the state, a local government, or qualified non-profit to save 45% when acquiring park and habitat lands by structuring the acquisition so that the landowner can receive a state tax credit and use federal tax deductions. From 2001 to 2008, the credit saved California approximately $40 million while acquiring some 8,000 acres of land.
AB 131 will bring more resources to courts determining the placement of abused or neglected children separated from their parent/guardian(s) and placed in foster care. It directs Judicial Council to seek reimbursement for the costs they incur in providing counsel in such dependency cases and requires that funds recovered be used to reduce attorney caseloads for these cases. The bill would result in $3-5 million, which would be used to hire additional dependency attorneys in counties with the highest caseload.
AB 154 conforms California law to the federal Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008, which increases incentives to promote the adoption of children in foster care, particularly those with special needs and older youth up to age 21. It also requires all of these federal funds to be reinvested in child welfare services, including post adoption services, such as independent living services and vouchers for education and training for foster youth adopted at age 16 and older. By 2018, the bill would result in an additional $50 million each year in foster care and adoption programs.
AB 729 extends the authority of transit agencies to use design-build contracting until January 1, 2015. Should the governor veto this bill, he will be directly contradicting his administration's efforts to authorize design-build throughout public works as a cost cutting technique.
California gets just 79 cents back from each dollar sent to Washington, DC in taxes. Further information about this legislation is available at http://www.leginfo.ca.gov.
"We must seize every opportunity to save money and bring in more federal dollars," said Evans. "After withstanding historic budget cuts to education and health care, Californians need to know their government strives to do more with less. The governor can send that message by signing these bills."
Aside from authoring several cost cutting measures as Chair of the Assembly Budget Committee, Evans has authored four additional bills to save money or draw down more federal funds. All await action by the governor by October 11.
Assembly Bill (AB) 94 re-authorizes the Natural Heritage Preservation Tax Credit program, which expired in June of last year. This General Fund-neutral credit enables the state, a local government, or qualified non-profit to save 45% when acquiring park and habitat lands by structuring the acquisition so that the landowner can receive a state tax credit and use federal tax deductions. From 2001 to 2008, the credit saved California approximately $40 million while acquiring some 8,000 acres of land.
AB 131 will bring more resources to courts determining the placement of abused or neglected children separated from their parent/guardian(s) and placed in foster care. It directs Judicial Council to seek reimbursement for the costs they incur in providing counsel in such dependency cases and requires that funds recovered be used to reduce attorney caseloads for these cases. The bill would result in $3-5 million, which would be used to hire additional dependency attorneys in counties with the highest caseload.
AB 154 conforms California law to the federal Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008, which increases incentives to promote the adoption of children in foster care, particularly those with special needs and older youth up to age 21. It also requires all of these federal funds to be reinvested in child welfare services, including post adoption services, such as independent living services and vouchers for education and training for foster youth adopted at age 16 and older. By 2018, the bill would result in an additional $50 million each year in foster care and adoption programs.
AB 729 extends the authority of transit agencies to use design-build contracting until January 1, 2015. Should the governor veto this bill, he will be directly contradicting his administration's efforts to authorize design-build throughout public works as a cost cutting technique.
California gets just 79 cents back from each dollar sent to Washington, DC in taxes. Further information about this legislation is available at http://www.leginfo.ca.gov.