Source: The Desert Sun
Assembly Bill 2414, which was proposed by Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia and signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown on September 21, 2016, required the district's board of directors to submit an application for the district's eastward expansion.
"The assembly bill plays a huge part,” said Schultz, who described the bill as a necessary step to make the long-standing effort of expanding services to the East Valley a reality.
For now, the board has established an initial funding plan of $300,000 per year over 20 years, just to get the ball rolling. “The real goal is to fund a bigger amount,” said Schultz. Eventually, the board is hoping to create a budget of $4 million per year to fund programs such as the training of nurses, the expansion of health services for the homeless and creating a pathway to medical careers for local students.
“We could do so much more for the residents of the east valley by being able to provide funds that can help them access resources directly,” Schultz said.
