Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo Delivers Major Local Tax Break, Affordability and Safety Funding In Final Budget Vote

Building off of the initial successes in the Legislature’s budget proposal, Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo announced additional victories following negotiations with the Governor’s Office—securing key items she championed to prioritize including affordability, safety, and the wellbeing of families across our community. These wins include funding for victims of violent crimes and trafficking, tax relief for veterans, our film industry, protecting our communities from crime with funding for Proposition 36, defending access to health care for seniors, and securing new investments in youth mental health.

“I’m grateful to see a budget that reflects the values we share—putting affordability and safety first,” said Assemblywoman Schiavo. “While there is still uncertainty around billions of threatened cuts by the federal administration, California has made clear affordability and safety are our top priority and at the heart of the budget.“

Budget wins Assemblywoman Schiavo fought for include:

Community Safety

• $100 million for Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) programs, ensuring victims of crime, including human trafficking and domestic violence survivors, continue to have access to vital resources, mental health, safe housing, and support services.
• Defend Proposition 36 funding, which includes funding to protect our communities from crime. While Assemblywoman Schiavo fought to fully fund Proposition 36, including submitting a budget request letter, without allocated funding in the proposition, this initial funding through our budget is an important first step. These funds include funding to CDCR, substance abuse, and behavioral health funding.
• Youth mental health support, through reimbursements to schools participating in the California Youth and Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI), helping them retain staff that provide critical services for students.

Affordability

• Tax exemption for military pensions, up to $20,000—delivering long-overdue tax relief to California veterans.
• Inclusion of expanded Film Tax Credits, supporting California’s creative economy and preserving union jobs in the entertainment industry.
• Tax relief for residents impacted by the Chiquita Canyon Landfill disaster, exempting financial relief received from state taxes and from counting against income requirements for programs like CalFresh and Medi-Cal.
• Supporting Childcare for our families by investing an additional $128 million for childcare in addition to wage increases for providers to keep quality childcare workers in childcare centers where kids and families need them.
• Protection of Medi-Cal access, by rejecting the Governor’s proposed $2,000 asset limit, which would have disqualified thousands of seniors and people with disabilities from life-saving care.
• Continued Covered California premium assistance, extending affordability protections for working families as federal subsidies begin to phase out.

 “Our work doesn’t stop with a budget vote,” Assemblywoman Schiavo added. “We’ll keep pushing to make sure relief reaches every household—and that our community gets the care, investment, and protection it deserves.”