FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 14, 2021
Contact: Maria Mejia, [email protected], 510-763-2444 ext. 108
Children Now Statement on Gov. Newsom’s May Revision
Ted Lempert, President, Children Now, issued the following statement in response to Governor Newsom’s May Revision:
California ranks 34th nationally on child well-being with significant equity gaps due in part to historic underinvestment in the systems that serve kids. We’re thrilled with Governor Newsom’s May Revise budget proposal, which takes significant and long overdue steps in the right direction towards improving the health, education, and economic security of our kids, birth through age 26. Yet, state leaders have a once in a generation opportunity to make even stronger investments in the systems that serve kids, especially Black, Latino, and other children of color, and youth in foster care, who have historically been underserved and continue to be disproportionately impacted by the devastating effects of the pandemic. In addition to making needed adjustments to various elements of the Governor’s proposal, the Legislature should dramatically increase investments in child care to pay providers a living wage and expand slots for families.
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About Children Now
Children Now is a non-partisan, whole-child research, policy development and advocacy organization dedicated to promoting children’s health and education in California. The organization also leads The Children’s Movement of California, a network of over 4,100 direct service, parent, youth, civil rights, faith-based and community groups dedicated to improving children’s well-being.