“We have gained so much momentum in our effort to clean up the river,” said Pérez, “and it’s important to ensure that forward progress isn’t undermined.  This bill ensures, if the water bond passes, that we are ready to hit the ground running and provides the guidance and accountability to make sure the funding is appropriated consistently with the New River Improvement strategic plan.”

Climate Change Community Benefits Fund:  Should the state receive revenues pursuant to AB 32 implementation, AB 1405 (De León/Pérez) establishes a Community Benefits Fund that would direct a portion of these revenues to impacted communities to be used for green jobs, greenhouse gas emission reductions projects, and to mitigate direct health impacts of climate change.

“With AB 1405 we ensure that the state’s progress achieving our global warming reduction goals does not exclude or come at the expense of our most vulnerable populations,” said Pérez.  “The Fund would support concrete activities, such as transit redesign, community greening, and energy efficiency retrofits.  In other words, we’re talking about jobs -- jobs that offer the double benefit of an honest day’s work while cleaning up environmentally blighted areas.”

Federal Education Funding Guidance:  Pérez also joined as a co-author on SB 847 (Steinberg) to ensure the swift and equitable delivery of $1.2 billion in federal education funds directly to local educational agencies.  These funds are specifically intended to be used for compensation, benefits and other expenses, including support services, necessary to retain existing employees, to recall or rehire former employees, and to hire new employees that provide school-level and related services. 

“Tens of thousands of school employees have been laid off or had their salaries reduced as we struggled to address state budget deficits,” said Pérez.  “This injection of funds to our local jurisdictions will address some of those shortages and help to avoid further harm to our children’s educations.”

Assemblymember V. Manuel Pérez serves as the chairperson of the Assembly Committee on Jobs, Economic Development and the Economy.  He represents the 80^th Assembly District, which includes the communities of Blythe, Brawley, Calexico, Calipatria, Cathedral City, Coachella, Desert Hot Springs, El Centro, Holtville, Imperial, Indio, La Quinta, Palm Springs, and Westmorland.