Dear Neighbor:
I'm honored to serve as your Assemblymember during these challenging times. With this monthly newsletter, I hope to keep you updated on what we're working on both in the District and in Sacramento.
District:
My District Office can assist you with state related matters such as:
- Unemployment (EDD) and Disability Insurance
- COVID-19 Resources from the State
- Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
- State Taxes
Please call (408) 262-2501 if you need assistance.
Vaccine Update:
Sacramento:
My Sacramento office can assist you with state related matters such as:
- Express an opinion on a bill
- Propose a new bill idea
- Ask for copies, summaries, and information on bills
Please call (916) 319-2025 if you need assistance.
Eviction Moratorium and Rent Relief
A $2.6B rental relief program for California was passed and extends the eviction moratorium until June 30, 2021. Under the new state measure, landlords can receive 80% of back rent due between April 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021. Landlords must agree to waive the remaining 20% of the debt and not seek eviction. The system for distributing the aid is expected to be developed in coming weeks and online by March 15.
Legislation:
The COVID-19 pandemic has deepened economic inequality in California. It's imperative that we continue to push progressive policies in order to make California more livable and equitable. This is a running list of bills I've introduced or am planning on introducing this session:
- AB 387 - Social Housing - California has now been experiencing an extended and increasing housing shortage for nearly 50 years. In 2018, California ranked 49th among the United States in housing units per resident. This bill will establish social housing, a concept which has been successfully implemented in Vienna and Singapore where the majority of their populations utilize these programs. More Californians would be housed, and the government would gain equity in appreciation similar to private property. The bill would potentially establish a new department to advance social housing.
- Hazardous Emissions, School Sites - Currently, charter schools and private schools are not required to go through the same environmental review as public schools. This means that these schools could be unintentionally built next to toxic sites, which results in harmful impacts on our children. This bill will require charter schools and private schools to follow the same requirements as public schools when evaluating a school site for potential hazardous substances.
- Water Prices in Mobile Home Parks - Some of our most vulnerable are being subjected to additional "service charges" by mobile home parks for water usage fees that lack transparency and have no uniformity. This would allow for mobile home residents to be charged the same rate for water usage as if they were getting water directly from the water utility or provider so that arbitrary fees are not tacked on.
- AB 339 - Increasing Government Transparency - COVID-19 precautions have increased usage of remote participation options. In order to protect the public's access to government, this bill would ensure that local agencies, state agencies, and the State Legislature provide both call-in and internet service-based options for all public meetings to ensure constituents are heard.
- Sentencing Enhancement Abolishment - People of color are disproportionately impacted by firearm enhancements. In fact, 80% of firearm enhancements are applied to Black, Indigenous, and people of color. This bill would abolish automatic gun enhancement prison sentences (or reduce the time associated with gun enhancements) which do not allow for judicial discretion in sentencing, even when a firearm is neither used nor discharged.
- AB 20 - Clean Money Act - Each year, business entities contribute hundreds of millions of dollars to campaigns across California, with over $785 million spent on the 2020 election in California alone. In order to stay competitive in their races, many candidates are pressured to accept the money from these business entities. This puts into question the priorities of the elected officials. This bill will ban business entities, which have an undue influence on our elections, from contributing to candidates for office and establish a publicly-financed electoral system.
- Wealth Tax - Millions of Californians are hurting during this pandemic induced recession and we're seeing the k-shaped recovery exacerbating inequality. This measure would implement a tax on the wealthiest individuals with a total net worth of more than $30M to help fund desperately needed infrastructure.
- Ending Tax Breaks for Vacation Home - Mortgage Interest Deductions are important for homeowners, but vacation homes are receiving additional deductions while everyday people may not be able to afford a home at all. This bill would create a permanent source of funding to address homelessness by eliminating the mortgage interest deduction on vacation homes as well as lower the mortgage interest deduction from $1M to $750K on primary homes.
Yours in Service,
Alex Lee
Assemblymember, 25th District
