Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo Takes Action to Protect California’s Tax Dollars and Essential Services

SACRAMENTO, CA – In response to recent federal actions that puts affordability, public safety, and many essential services at risk, today Assemblywoman Schiavo stood firm in her oath to protect and defend the constitution and her commitment to protect Californian’s safety and hard earned tax dollars.

“Families in our district and across California work hard and pay their fair share in taxes, with the expectation that those dollars will help fund the programs and services we all rely on,” said Assemblywoman Schiavo. “But now, the critical federal funding we paid for and rely on is at risk of being withheld, which could have real and wide-ranging consequences for our schools, housing, wildfire recovery and prevention efforts, veterans' services, seniors meals, police and sheriff staffing, and more. That’s why today, I voted to protect our community. It’s critical that California has the resources we need to defend hardworking families from threats that impact affordability, safety and security.”

The impact of withholding of our tax dollars put the following at risk:

• Schools & Education: If the federal administration is successful in withholding tax dollars from our schools puts our students at risk of losing their teachers, neighborhood school closures, cuts to school meals for kids whose only meal a day is the one they receive at school, and the loss of mental health services for students in crisis.
• Public Safety: With billions of state funding and millions of local funding on the chopping block, if our tax dollars are withheld, our ability to fully fund law enforcement is threatened. Local law enforcement and emergency response budgets are also at risk.
• Housing & Homelessness: With progress finally being made to reduce homelessness in our community, withholding our tax dollars risks reversing those gains and putting more people at risk, with those who are housing insecure or struggling with housing affordability falling into homelessness.
• Veterans’ Services: If our tax dollars are withheld through federal grants dollars, organizations providing housing, mental health care, and job training to veterans are at risk of cutting services or closing their doors. If these organizations stop providing housing, hundreds of veterans could be forced onto the streets.
• Disaster Recovery & Firefighter Grants: Communities impacted by wildfires depend on the very federal funds being withheld to rebuild and protect against future disasters. As our community starts to recover from the most devastating and expensive fire in US history, it’s essential that our federal dollars come back to us.

“Regardless of political party, the hard-working people in our community did not vote for higher grocery prices, school and law-enforcement cuts, or seniors and veterans pushed into homelessness,” said Assemblywoman Schiavo. “Make no mistake: there is no one who I won’t stand up to in order to protect you, your family, your safety, and your hard earned money, and actions we took today give us the ability to do just that.”

To safeguard the billions in state tax dollars and essential services, Assemblywoman Schiavo supported two key bills today:

SBx1-1: Legal Preparedness to Defend Californians

• Sets aside $25 million, only to be triggered in necessary circumstances to protect and defend Californians against any unconstitutional actions, including the withholding of billions of Californian’s tax dollars.
• Ensures California is prepared to take legal action if necessary, though the hope is to not need a dime of this money. It is set aside in cases of emergency to protect our state from illegal and unconstitutional actions that threaten our community, our safety, and our tax dollars.

ABx1-2: Strengthening Legal Aid for Families and Victims of Crime

• Expands funding for legal aid organizations that assist domestic violence survivors, human trafficking victims, and children in need.
• Ensures vulnerable Californians - like children who have been separated from their families or ended up in the legal system - can access legal representation and protection.
• This bill’s funding does not go to legal defense for people convicted of violent and serious felonies.

“Our community faces immense challenges—from rising costs to devastating wildfires. Now more than ever, we need to ensure that we have safeguards in place to protect California families, their tax dollars, and their future,” said Assemblywoman Schiavo. “While we always hope to work collaboratively with our federal partners, I will not hesitate to take action when the rights of Californians are threatened or when our state’s resources are unjustly withheld. Californians can count on me to fight for their safety, their wallets, and their futures.”