State leaders must adopt revenue solutions to achieve a family-centered budget

SACRAMENTO, CA — End Child Poverty California (ECPCA) supports the progress in the Legislature’s budget agreement to prevent harmful cuts to vital programs that prevent child and family poverty, but is deeply disappointed to see remaining cuts, and urges the Legislature and Administration to adopt progressive revenues to ensure a more equitable final 2025-26 budget. 

The following statement is attributable to ECPCA President and CEO, Shimica Gaskins: 

“It is not an understatement that California’s children and families are navigating unprecedented threats – unconstitutional violations of the rule of law, tariffs and layoffs worsening the affordability crisis, and Congress advancing cuts that would devastate nutrition and healthcare basic needs programs. 

More than ever, Californians are counting on state leaders to protect progress and provide a path that prioritizes children and families. Our communities’ lives are on the line. 

We applaud the Legislature’s budget for rejecting or delaying many of the cuts to in-home care, HOPE Accounts, foster youth, housing, Food 4 All, and other IMAGINE priorities. It also includes significant victories, such as the reimagine CalWORKs reforms.

But we must be clear that this budget includes cuts to core programs, particularly to codify discriminatory healthcare access based on immigration status. Moreover, it allows a fiscal cliff to Promise Neighborhoods that provide vital assistance to immigrant families and other threatened communities, and fails to provide fair pay to child care providers or adequate legal services to keep California families together amidst ongoing raids. 

These are choices the Legislature could have avoided. We support the Legislature’s work to ensure large corporations provide healthcare to their employees or provide a public contribution. But in the 4th largest economy in the world with gaping wealth and income inequities today – let alone how Congress intends to shower tax breaks on the wealthiest by gutting food programs and healthcare – there are ample opportunities for state leaders to ensure everyone pays their fair share so every child is lifted out of poverty. As federal cuts are finalized, we look forward to working with the Legislature and Governor on needed solutions to build a budget that fully embodies California values.”