Issue Position: A California that Grows its Middle Class

Issue Position

The middle class is shrinking in California and America. There are many complex underling issues as to why, and no easy answers to reverse the course, but California can and must lead the way to help working families and grow the middle class.

I am proud to be a champion for working families and to be supported by the Sacramento Central Labor Council and the California Labor Federation.

As an Assemblymember, I will fight to strengthen the Middle Class with the following:

Increase the Minimum Wage. The minimum wage increases scheduled to take effect are a good start, but more needs to be done. Too many hard working, full time workers live in poverty because the minimum wage is so low. Not only is this not fair to workers, but it results in workers relying on governmental safety net programs just to survive. The safety net is intended to give a hand up to those that have fallen on hard times, not to act as a subsidy for corporate employers that purposefully pay their workers the low minimum wage.

Use Cap-and-Trade dollars to combat climate change and grow clean energy jobs. The Cap-and-Trade program provides upwards of $1billion annually to fight global warming, and could be used to help fund proven programs to cut our carbon footprint and grow clean energy and green technology jobs. One promising option is to provide Cap-and-Trade support for property-accessed clean energy (PACE) programs, like we have here in Sacramento. These efforts are doing well locally and cities across California--but these efforts could dramatically flourish statewide with rebates for consumers. This effort would create more middle class jobs, lower energy bills, and adhere to Prop 32 by lowering our carbon footprint.

Tax Credit for Manufacturing Jobs. Manufacturing has dropped dramatically over the past two decades. Globalization and outsourcing policies have enabled this decline, but with smart policies the trend can turn around. By providing smart, targeted tax credits and other incentives, California can recreate its manufacturing base, increase good jobs, and expand the economy.

Assist Small Businesses Provide Health Care & Hold Bad Acting Corporations Accountable. Many small businesses would like to do more to provide their employees with affordable health care. At the same time, big corporations like Wal-Mart don't provide health care and instead shift the costs to taxpayers by sending their employees to public assistance programs. Therefore, California should create a financial penalty on bad acting big corporations and using the funds to benefit small businesses provide health care to their employees will be a top priority for me.

Require Paid Sick Days. Nobody benefits from sick employees in the workplace. Productivity wanes, viruses spread to workers and the public, and illnesses linger longer. And, no one should have to choose between getting over an illness and their paycheck. Instead, all workers need to be provided a minimum number of paid sick days each year.

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