Postcard From Sacramento

United Way Cap Day 2015 Rich Gordon

United Way representatives with Assemblymember Rich Gordon

Okay, so maybe Sacramento isn’t quite as exciting as Mumbai or Delhi. But it’s got some great food, an amazing bronze bear statue, and a bar with mermaids. Mermaids! Oh, and Sacramento also happens to be where key decisions are made that affect more than 38 million people.

It’s that last part that brought me to Sacramento. This winter, I joined United Way of Silicon Valley’s political advocacy committee. For nearly 130 years, United Way has been serving communities all around the United States, focusing on critical issues that face working families, such as quality education, financial stability, and health.

Along with representatives from United Way chapters from across California, I met with ten state senators and assembly members to advocate for two bills working their way through the state legislative system. SB 4, Health for All, would expand access to healthcare coverage to Californians, regardless of immigration status. AB 43 would create a state-based Earned Income Tax Credit, or EITC.

United Way Cap Day 2015 Evan Low
United Way representatives with Assemblymember Evan Low

Does this sound hopelessly policy-wonkish? Both bills are really about helping families when they need it most, and preventing Californians from falling into debt. Imagine a little girl named Sophia, born in San José or Fresno or Merced. Like 1 out 6 Californian children, Sophia has a parent who is undocumented, so it’s very hard to get health insurance. What happens to Sophia when her parent gets sick, and the family goes into debt? What if they can’t afford rent, and end up homeless? What if the family car breaks down and Sophia’s parents can’t get to work, or lose their jobs?

SB 4 and AB 43 won’t solve all of Sophia’s problems, but the bills could provide a brighter future for this native Californian. If her whole family has access to health insurance, not only will they (and the community they live in) be healthier, but they’ll save money but not paying for unnecessary emergency care. Preventative care is much cheaper – and certainly cheaper than a pandemic!   And the lump sum provided by a state-based earned income tax credit could be just the help the family needs to pay the security deposit on a new apartment, or get the car fixed. The federal earned income tax credit is the most effective means of pulling American families out of poverty, and 25 other states already supplement the federal EITC with a state-based EITC.

United Way Cap Day group photo 2015

United Ways of California delegation to Sacramento, April 2015

Stay tuned to learn the fate of SB 4 and AB 43. In the meantime, a huge thank you to the thoughtful state legislators and their policy teams who met with United Way representatives.