Shoe Leather Sacrificed In Push For Newsom Infrastructure Package

The Bay Area Council wore out a lot of shoe leather this week in Sacramento in our continuing advocacy for Gov. Newsom’s infrastructure package to expedite approval and construction of essential climate, water, clean energy, transportation, semiconductor manufacturing, and other infrastructure projects across California. Council Director of State Government Relations Alex Torres testified in multiple hearings, including Assembly Transportation Committee on Monday, Assembly Water, Parks, and Wildlife Committee on Tuesday, a joint Assembly and Senate Judiciary and Natural Resources Committee, and the Senate Natural Resources Committee. The package Newsom has proposed will invest $180 billion in infrastructure projects, support the creation of 400,000 jobs and make California competitive for key federal funding.

Meanwhile, through our participation in the New California Coalition, a statewide organization co-led by Council CEO Jim Wunderman and BizFed Founder Tracy Hernandez, we joined 90 business organizations from around the state in a letter declaring our support and calling on the Legislature to take action. The letter was accompanied by digital and print advertisements delivering the same message. The Council and our coalition partners will continue to express support for the Governor’s package and work to underscore to the Legislature the importance of acting now to build these projects critical to California’s economic vitality.