it's wonderful to be here with all of you in particular, uh, your future
congressmen Rudy solace Assembly member to be back with you an extraordinary Uh
contributions that are being made throughout the Central Valley with
clinic is extraordinary work. 24 sites not dissimilar to this all throughout
the valley. The backbone of our health care delivery system. And of course, uh,
the one, the only the great uh Dolores huerta. Uh, that's about as good as it
always gets. And so I'm humbled and deeply grateful. Uh Delores, you took
the time to be here. Unsurprisingly though you are here because we're here
to advance a cause that you champion for quite literally decades. We talk
about health care for all. We have politicians of all political stripes
over the course of decades. Uh, preach. Uh, the principle we have standing
ovations and audiences large and small principle is advanced elections come go,
politicians come and go, uh, years become decades and decades we've seen
in action. Finally. Finally, we're at a point where we're making those words
real. We are implementing our ideals were manifesting uh, this principle,
this fundamental notion that so many of us have been preaching for years and
years and years, uh, and here in the largest state in our union, in the
state of California. We are positioned with this budget to be able to deliver
on what we've been promoting universal healthcare for all, regardless of
preexisting condition, regardless of the ability to pay and regardless of
your immigration status. We believe in this principle. We believe in the right
to quality health care. We believe we are strengthened as a community. We
also believe that families are strengthened, particularly in a state
as diverse and large as the state of California with so many mixed status
families with Children themselves that may have healthcare, but a working mom
that just got a mammogram and it didn't turn out as well as she had hoped. And
now she is suffering the consequences of early diagnosis of breast cancer.
And yet she, at just 35 years old, does not have access to healthcare. What
that does to that young child, what that does to the family? The impact
that has on the community. Our economy is profound and pronounced. And so
we're here in that spirit to reconcile that, to strengthen our families, to
strengthen our community. To strengthen the economy here in the state of
California. For those? It's like clockwork that are critical of this
proposal. I would only offer this. We have universal health care in this
state and in this country, but it's on the back end, It's called the emergency
room and it's costing you the taxpayer of fortune. If you care not just about
values and principles of morality, but if you're only values and principles
are advanced through economics, then that alone should be an argument in
favor of universal health care. Why not invest in treating people in preventing
the most acute conditions that tend to manifest on the back end. And as
taxpayers be out of pocket as a consequence of that, why not get that
as we struggled through the latest surge of uh this pandemic. Why not get
that preventative vaccine? An extraordinarily low cost because you're
covered, then wait for the ravages of the disease and the back end where we
end up paying for that uncompensated care. All of us, not just as it relates
to counties and general funds, but all of us that have private health
insurance who have higher premiums as a consequence. So this is about saving
money. This is about strengthening families and as I said, strengthening
communities and the economy here in the state of California. And it's about
time.
It is a point of deep pride, not just principles that were here uh in
particular in the central valley where we come back over and over and over
again to make the point that this state is for all Californians and one of the
most dynamic and vibrant parts of California is represented not just here
in Lamont, but throughout this region and the fastest growing part of the
state of California. Uh And we look forward to working with the legislature
with some member salas and his colleagues over the course of the next
many months. Senator Terrazzo and rambling have been incredible champions
of these principles over the course. Last number of years to get this job
done and begin this process a new by the end of this calendar year were the
first cohort, uh, will be expanded for those as Delores said that currently
are without that health insurance. Uh, happy to answer, of course. Any
questions on costs, any questions about next steps. But we inter planted
implemented rather presented yesterday a fully balanced budget in the state of
California were enjoying record surpluses, record reserves, paying down
a record amount of unfunded healthcare liability. We're being wise with our
investments, looking at one time surpluses in one time investments. At
the same time, we're not neglecting people in the state that are vulnerable
people that are struggling. And this is one of our top priority investments,
not by any stretch, the only investment in the healthcare space. We've expanded
coverage to the middle class and we're looking at affordability And price
reductions in particular with high cost pharmaceuticals. Everybody we had in
mind this year as it relates to our healthcare investments. But when we
talk about everybody, we're going to be inclusive to the two plus million
Californians that are working every single day, 10% of the workforce in the
state of California, of which the vast majority have lived in the state for
over a decade. And those are people, regardless of their immigration status,
that pays billions of dollars a year in taxes each and every year in the state
of California. And so I'm proud to be here. We, we promoted this three plus
years ago on the trail and here we are three years later, and we have the
prospect to do something historic and meaningful. And we hope to see this
replicated all across the country.