The Toni Times | December 2021

December 1, 2021

A Note from Toni

Senator Atkins

 

December is a time for celebrations—and love, light, and the fellowship of family and friends. There is so much to be thankful for and excited about this year, even with the challenges we continue to face and with new ones that have arisen and require our attention as well. This December I can't help thinking about celebrating Christmas as a little girl – my twin sister and I sharing time with our older brothers and our parents, the special foods like candy canes and the tangerines that were such a rarity in Southwestern Virginia. I can only imagine how exhausted my parents must have been with all the holiday preparations on top of their daily responsibilities. I think a lot of us may be there right now...

On top of the gifts that I would wish for everybody--peace, health, and happiness--there are a couple I would also give to all of us, if I could.  One is certainty. It would be so nice to be able to say the dangers of the COVID-19 virus will end on 12:01 on January 1, 2022, or when the “X millionth” Californian is vaccinated. But we can’t do that. It wouldn’t be prudent and it wouldn’t be safe. We have to keep raising our vaccination rate and taking the necessary precautions until the science makes the coast clear. So another gift I would wish for us all is patience—especially with each other, as we press forward to protect the public health and return fully to public life. We will beat the pandemic. Goods will flow. Perseverance and patience will help get us through. Often easier said than done, I know, but an important reminder for our times.

I know one gift many families are grateful for this year is the availability of the COVID-19 vaccine for their children. That means peace of mind at home, greater participation in school and sports, and safer family holiday gatherings—especially when the celebrations include visits with grandma and grandpa.

With 2021 coming to a close, I can’t help thinking about all that’s happened this year. I have shared in the previous editions of this newsletter some of the amazing work we did in the California Legislature in 2021, both in terms of legislation and budget investments. On housing and homelessness, on climate change and criminal justice reform, on higher education and health care — 2021 will be remembered as a year of historic action and transformative change, and I feel blessed that I was able to be involved in these efforts.

We know there is more to be done, and we have been getting prepared for the new legislative session that starts in January. A couple of weeks ago, I had the privilege of giving a “sneak peek” about what’s ahead to the bridge-building leadership organization California Forward. While I do want to save some surprises for the new year, a couple of the things I highlighted are the projections that show we should have another very good year for making smart investments, and the Senate’s new proposal to help first-time homebuyers purchase homes with silent investors. Families get to buy a home, grab a foothold in the middle class, and help build wealth for their future generations. Investors get safe, tax-free opportunities to invest in California real estate. It’s a big move, with lots of potential, and you’ll be hearing more from me as we develop the plan further. But I’m very excited and wanted to share it with you now—kind of like the one gift I get to open early.

As tired as we all are and as long as this pandemic has gone on, I hope we can all keep smiling and join in all the festivities this time of year. Whether it’s Christmas or Kwanzaa or Hanukkah or New Year’s Eve or Festivus, Jennifer and I hope all your celebrations are filled with love, light, and magic. And we wish you a very happy and healthy 2022!

 

Senate to Continue Work on Path to Homeownership For All

Housing Forum
(Pictured with Senators Josh Newman and Susan Eggman, Julie Baker, Assemblymember Cecelia Aguiar-Curry)

 

California has been in a housing crisis for years, and the pandemic exacerbated the need for affordable housing, more access and opportunity. It also highlighted the wealth gap and how it’s impacting those who live here.

Ensuring that Californians’ dreams of home ownership can become reality was a focal point of my message at the California Forward Economic Summit in Monterey last month. There, I opened a panel discussion about the importance of homeownership as a method of overcoming inequality.

California has made big gains in creating paths to homeownership in recent years, and we plan to build upon that success as we look at ways to close the wealth gap. This past year alone, we allocated more than $81 million in the state budget for low-income homeowners to build accessory dwelling units as a way to generate revenue and establish intergenerational wealth. In addition to this, the budget provided more than $100 million for down payment assistance to help first-time homebuyers, with a focus on low-income homeowners.

Our work in this space is far from done. When we return in January, the Senate will continue working on the “California Dream for All” program, a vital tool for helping more first time homebuyers. 

The idea is that first-time homebuyers would purchase homes with “silent partner” investors, who in turn, would receive the safe, tax-free benefits of investing in California real estate. This could help families take the first step in building generational wealth, at relatively little cost to taxpayers. 

I look forward to being able to update you all on this effort in the new year.

 

Marine Corps Recruit Depot Centennial Anniversary 

Marine Corps
 

 

One hundred years ago today, on December, 1, 1921, the installation now known as the Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD) San Diego was commissioned by General Joseph Pendleton.

That action represented the founding of a permanent Marine Corps Base in the city, making it the oldest Marine Corps installation on the West Coast.

Throughout its century in existence, over one million men and women have met the challenges of recruit training here, earning the title “Marine.” This year, MCRD made history once again, as it graduated its first class of female recruits – in the midst of a pandemic, no less.

From the “Banana Wars” of the 1920’s and 1930’s, through two World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, and across the last 20 years of post-9/11 conflict, Marines from our corner of California have served their country and distinguished themselves in every part of the world.

Throughout its history, MCRD San Diego and its Marines have been proud partners with the City of San Diego and the State of California. I am honored to represent them as part of the 39th Senate District.

Just as Marines of all generations remain true to their motto of ‘Semper Fidelis,’ meaning ‘always faithful’ to one another, so too shall the State of California and the San Diego community remain Semper Fidelis to our Marine Corps Recruit Depot. 

 

Stand Down Returns to San Diego

Stand Down at Veterans Village San Diego

 

We may have just celebrated Veterans Day last month, but in San Diego, every day is Veterans Day, as the military has significantly shaped the San Diego region for more than a decade.

That is why I was so happy to participate in the return of Stand Down at Veterans Village San Diego (VVSD). It was postponed last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

San Diego is home to the largest concentration of American military, and our military and civilian employees are a substantial economic driver for our region. But San Diego County is also home to the third highest population of veterans in the country, according to the 2020 Census.

Stand Down has been a place of respite where veterans can get services they need -- clothing, hygiene items, access to Veterans programs, employment assistance and homeless services. To me, this event is our way of saying, “We see you, we hear you, and we care about you.”

Thank you to everyone who volunteered and donated their time and resources to give back to our service men and women who have sacrificed for us all.

 

Covered California Open Enrollment Begins

 

Open Enrollment

 

The federal American Rescue Plan has helped lower health care costs for people who enroll in an Affordable Care Act marketplace – such as Covered California – by offering an increase in the amount of subsidies for 2022.

That’s why it’s so important to sign up if you are eligible. The 2022 Open Enrollment period for Covered California is now open, and runs through January 31, 2022. If you want your new plan to go into effect when the new year starts, you need to sign up by Dec. 15.

  • For lower-income households, which includes individuals making less than $25,520 a year and a family of four earning less than $52,400, the average monthly premium per person is now $35, which represents a roughly 95 percent savings off the average gross premium of $741.
  • Some eligible middle-income people, in a family or as an individual, making more than $100,000, may qualify be eligible for additional subsidies, resulting in saving an average of nearly $800 per month. The income eligibility is a sliding scale, based on the size of the family.

To find coverage that is right for you, visit CoveredCA.com.

 

Around the District

Celebrating Budget Wins Throughout the Region

Presented a check for $300,000 for San Diego’s Oak Park Branch Library

 

Libraries are integral to learning and connectivity within our communities, which is why I was so happy to celebrate the state funding I helped secure as part of this year’s budget for the City of San Diego’s Oak Park Branch Library.

The community has been advocating for a new library for many years, and this is one step closer to making that happen. Last month, I presented a check for $300,000 to Councilmember Monica Montgomery Steppe and members of the Oak Park community to kick start the process, which will help a brand new library. Thank you to all those who showed up to celebrate!

Presented a $2 million check for renovations and upgrades to the Las Palmas Pool

 

It also was an honor to celebrate a budget win alongside Senator Ben Hueso in the South Bay, as we presented a $2 million check to National City Mayor Alejandra Sotelo Solis for renovations and upgrades to the Las Palmas Pool and park. This recreation area has served the community for generations.

This fiscal win is yet another example of the equitable impact our budget has been able to make throughout the region and the state.


    Milestone Donation at the San Diego Blood Bank

    Donating blood

     

    Donating blood has been a longtime commitment of mine, and I am so proud to have hit the one-gallon donation milestone at the San Diego Blood Bank on November 15. Giving blood is a commitment that runs in my family. My dad, a dedicated donor, wound up donating three gallons over his lifetime. As someone who donated blood routinely, I recently learned about the Blood Bank’s “Guardians Pledge.” By signing up, I committed to making a donation every eight weeks. 

    A nationwide blood shortage still persists, and is at critical levels, with some supplies of blood types dwindling to about two day’s worth of supply. The normal supply is about seven days.

    Without adequate blood donors, surgeries and other important therapies could be delayed. Donations of all types are needed, including platelets, but O+ and O- blood types are vital. Blood donations save lives, and the time is now. To make an appointment, call 619-400-8521 or click here.


      Raising the Trans Flag in Hillcrest

      San Diego LGBT Center’s Transgender Pride Flag Raising Ceremony

       

      Team Toni was honored to participate in #TransAwarenessWeek by attending the San Diego LGBT Center’s Transgender Pride Flag Raising Ceremony on November 13! This is an important week each year to celebrate our trans siblings while spreading awareness of the issues they face & continuing the fight for Trans Rights.

       

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