- Brody Fernandez
- (916) 276-3390
- brody.fernandez@asm.ca.gov
SACRAMENTO, CA – Assemblywoman Esmeralda Soria (D-Merced) has released the following statement regarding the Governor’s proposed 2026-2027 budget.
“This year’s budget must be strategic as we continue battling the federal administration’s relentless effort to unlawfully withhold millions of federal dollars from Californians,” Soria said. “We must protect our most vulnerable communities and continue prioritizing affordability in California. This budget is a good start at accomplishing that and more.”
Healthcare
“I am pleased to see $233.6 million being made available through the Rural health Transformation Program, which aims to expand workforce, infrastructure, and access to care in rural communities.”
Prop 4 Climate Bond – Agriculture
“As Assembly Agriculture Chairwoman, I want to applaud the Prop 4 Climate Bond investments that are proposed in this budget.”
$25.9 million for the Healthy Soils Program
“The Healthy Soils Program (HSP) has received significant Prop 4 funds in this budget. The program is continually oversubscribed, and these funds will help continue the work of the program. Since 2018, HSP has been supporting farmers and ranchers to help them incorporate new sustainable agricultural practices into their systems.”
$14 million Regional Farm Equipment Sharing Program
“After land, equipment is the largest expense for small and disadvantaged farmers. Equipment-sharing programs like this alleviate these challenges for our farmers, who are already struggling. They help them with upfront costs and risk by allowing them to access equipment needed to implement healthy soil practices and support farm viability.”
$25.2 million ongoing funding for Farm-to-School Program
“Since 2021, the California Farm-to-School program has awarded $86.8 million to connect students with locally sourced foods while creating market opportunities for small and mid-sized farmers, particularly those historically excluded from institutional markets. School food is a $4.6 billion business in California. School meals in the new school year are likely to be a nutrition lifeline for California families in the face of deep federal food assistance program cuts, including cuts to SNAP and CalFresh, formerly known as food stamps.”
$173 million for drinking water projects serving small or disadvantaged communities
“Hundreds of communities in rural areas and many in the Central Valley don’t have access to reliable, safe drinking water. This is a key investment that must remain in this budget.”
$232 million for Flood Control Projects
“For the first time in nearly a decade, there are no regions of California under any category of drought. Recent steady rainfall means we must be prepared for flooding. No one needs more of a reminder than communities like Planada in my district. This budget secures over $200 million to ensure we invest in the safety of all Californians.”
Higher Education
“We continue to invest in our best and brightest with $5.3 billion going towards our UC’s and $5.6 billion going towards our CSU’s—$4.3 billion being allocated to support Cal Grant and Middle-Class Scholarships. Two programs that help disadvantaged students across the valley gain access to California’s most prestigious educational institutions.
Many of our students who attend our UC’s and CSU’s are coming directly from California’s Community Colleges (CCC). This budget secures investments for ALL levels of education by allocating $15.4 billion to our CCC’s, which is an increase of almost 50 percent since 2018-19.
I look forward to working on this proposal from the Governor with my colleagues in the legislature to finalize a fiscally responsible, balanced budget for California."
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Assemblywoman Esmeralda Soria represents the 27th Assembly District, which includes communities in Fresno, Madera, and Merced counties.