The San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual “State of the State” event on December 9.
Senator John Laird and Assemblymember Dawn Addis, whose districts both include San Luis Obispo and Monterey Counties, gave a preview on what they’re considering for next year’s legislative priorities after federal budget cuts earlier this year.
California is expected to have an 18 billion dollar budget shortfall in the next fiscal year, according to the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office. Senator Laird said the state legislature will have to find a way to balance a host of priorities, like the environment, healthcare and education.
“We're gonna have to talk about the whole budget,” Laird said. “What do we prioritize and how do we fund it?”
Assemblymember Addis warned that after federal cuts to MediCal this year, any additional reduction in healthcare spending could be destabilizing.
“We've already done the things that we can do in healthcare,” Addis said. “If we do any more cuts in healthcare, the system really is going to fall apart.”
Addis said that another priority for her is increasing physician access, an issue that’s especially relevant to San Luis Obispo County.
In 2023, a survey found that more than a quarter of respondents delayed medical care because they couldn’t find an appointment or the wait was too long.
