Advancing East Bay Values – First 100 Days in Office

East Bay Culture Highlighted in Community Swearing-In

Senator Arreguín, flanked by his parents and partner, takes the oath of office administered by State Superintendent Tony Thurmond.

On March 8, I had the honor of addressing the East Bay in a community swearing-in, featuring community groups, elected officials, and cultural performances from youth throughout the region. The event highlighted the East Bay’s history of progressive activism and how that torch has been passed on to the current generation at a time where the federal government is attempting to reverse the collective progress we have achieved over the decades.

Thank you to the Oakland Museum of California for hosting the event, Presiding Elder of the Bay Valley District, Dr. Reverend Howard R. Mayberry for emceeing, State Superintendent Tony Thurmond for conducting the oath of office, and to the performers, including Destiny Arts Youth Performance Company of Oakland, Mariachi Flor de Oro of Richmond, Folklorico de Fremont High School, and Berkeley Youth Poet Laureate Anita Marie Julca. If you were not able to make it, you can watch a recording of the event here.

Recognizing Dr. Holly Joshi as Woman of the Year

Senator Arreguín and State Officials presents the Woman of the Year Award to Dr. Holly Joshi at the Senate Chambers.

In recognition of Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day, this month the California Legislature recognized women throughout the state for their invaluable contributions to the communities they serve. I had the honor of recognizing Dr. Holly Joshi as our district’s Woman of the Year. Dr. Joshi, who currently serves as the City of Oakland’s Department of Violence Prevention Chief, has spent her career addressing gender-based violence and gun violence, helping lower crime rates and advance public safety. Join me in celebrating Dr. Joshi in this well-deserved recognition.

Supporting Educators through Affordable Housing

Senator Arreguín and State Superintendent Tony Thurmond, along with State and local education officials, present SB 502 at a press conference.

Students are more likely to succeed when teachers are able to spend quality time working with them and provide feedback on their work. Yet this ability is greatly reduced the further an educator lives from their school. Most school employees are “housing cost burdened”, meaning they spend over 30% of their income on housing costs. To have school staff live closer to work, several school districts have begun building affordable educator workforce housing on their underutilized property. While this has led to success in educator employment and retention, many districts lack the resources needed to support the development of housing.

I am pleased to partner with State Superintendent Tony Thurmond in introducing SB 502, which would allow school districts and other local educational agencies to access state funds to pay for predevelopment work needed to build low-to-moderate income workforce housing. By providing a committed source of funding to educator workforce housing, we can improve teacher retention and support educators experiencing housing hardships, which in turn will improve their ability to support our students.

New Medical Center to Serve East Bay

Sutter Health’s concept art of a new hospital in Emeryville.

In 2016, Sutter announced its intention to close Berkeley’s Alta Bates hospital by 2030. Alta Bates is colloquially known as the “Birthplace of the East Bay” due to its vital maternity ward that delivers nearly 6,000 live births annually. A shutdown of the hospital would leave much of the East Bay between Richmond and North Oakland without a full-service acute care hospital and the vital services it provides.

After years of advocacy, I am excited to announce that Sutter has recently agreed to the construction of a new medical center. This significant investment will bring much-needed primary, specialty, and advanced care. Located in Emeryville just a short drive from Alta Bates, the new center will provide 200 beds when it opens, with room for expansion. Its location near I-80 is expected to improve ambulance response times, which is critical for a region whose aging population is expected to increase in the coming years.

Our community has long advocated for expanded healthcare services, and this new facility is a testament to that collective effort. I look forward to continuing our partnership with Sutter Health along with key community and labor stakeholders to ensure that East Bay residents receive the high-quality emergency and primary care they need and deserve.

State Resources for Tax Season

A person fills out a tax form while using a calculator.

April 15 is the deadline to submit tax returns for 2024 (Los Angeles County has been extended to October 15 due to January’s firestorms disaster, with tax relief available to qualified victims). California offers a variety of tax credits and free tax filing preparation services to qualifying taxpayers. Highlights of tax credits include:
 

• California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC): Provides working taxpayers making an income between $1 and $31,950 with a cash refund or reduce the amount they owe.
• Young Child Tax Credit (YCTC): Provides up to $1,154 per eligible tax return for taxpayers who qualify for CalEITC and have a qualifying child under 6 years old.
• Foster Youth Tax Credit (FYTC): Provides up to $1,154 per eligible individual or up to $2,308 is both the primary taxpayer and spouse/registered domestic partner qualify for CalEITC.

People might also qualify for the federal equivalent of these tax credits. Be sure to check requirements for the Federal Earned Income Tax Credit and Federal Child Tax Credit. Additionally, the IRS has estimated that 116,300 Californians who did not file a tax return for 2021 could receive a potential median refund of $600. Those who qualify must submit their missing 2021 tax return by April 15.

California is one of multiple states that participates in Direct File, a free online tool for qualifying taxpayers that directly submits tax returns to the IRS. Direct File can also assist in claiming various federal tax credits. 

Proposals to Save Public Transit

A BART train arriving at MacArthur Station.

Public transit plays a vital role in our daily lives, and for many people, is the only feasible way of travelling. Since the pandemic, transit agencies has suffered from debilitating funding cuts, with many facing an existential crisis as their budgets are expected to become insolvent in the coming years. Such setbacks would be devastating on multiple fronts, as public transit provides a lifeline to many people, keeps California’s economy going, and advances our goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

I have partnered with Assemblymember Mark González of Los Angeles in introducing a $2 billion budget request that would deliver on capital projects and address operating shortfalls over the next two years for transit agencies across the state. Supported by a broad coalition of over 60 organizations, this request builds upon the work in recent years to support and provide uninterrupted service without reducing routes or frequency. The State has historically provided less funding towards transit agencies compared to counterparts across the country, such as transit agencies in New York City, Boston, and Philadelphia, causing our transit agencies to be more reliant on fare collections. This funding will not only provide a vital lifeline to our transit agencies, but will help them prepare for an influx in tourists as California is set to host next year’s Super Bowl LX, the FIFA World Cup games in 2026 and the LA Olympics in 2028 along with other major events in the coming years. 

In addition to this funding request, I am teaming up with State Senator Scott Wiener of San Francisco in coauthoring SB 63, which would place a regional ballot measure on the 2026 election to fund transit agencies throughout the Bay Area. Together, these two proposals are critical in investing in our transit systems which are an irreplaceable part of our economy.