Community Leaders Gathered to Urge Congressman Duarte to Reject Budget Cuts That Raise Costs
Merced, California – Last week, at the Merced County Library, Valley Families Unite, Communities for a New California Action Fund, and community leaders gathered for a roundtable conversation to urge Congressman John Duarte (CA-13) to reject budget cuts that raise the cost of living for working families. As yet another government funding deadline quickly approaches, the event brought together a diverse group to share their insights and concerns surrounding housing costs, homelessness, and recent reports on constituents living in caves.
Valley Families Unite, along with Merced Council Member Fue Xiong facilitated a discussion on homelessness, where we heard directly from a community member who’d experienced housing insecurity on and off. Community members shared that resources in Merced are scarce and that local elected officials, particularly Rep. Duarte, have not done enough to support the city’s most vulnerable residents.
“Housing is just too expensive, and Congressman Duarte has put the needs of corporations and special interests before us,” stated Fue Xiong. “He’s gone as far as voting to give $6 billion in tax breaks to big corporations while opposing tax cuts for working families and voting to raise costs on things like groceries, gas, and housing. Rep. Duarte must reject any budget cuts that hurt Central Valley families.”
The group urged Congressman Duarte to reject proposed budget cuts that would exacerbate the financial burden on already struggling households.
For media inquiries, please contact Mario Vasquez Zuniga at 661-483-4927 or mario@valleyfamiliesunite.org.
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Valley Families Unite represents a shared vision of economic prosperity for working families and accountable leadership in California. With the collective strength of Courage California, Inland Empire United, Communities for a New California Action Fund and Lower Costs California, we are eager to hold our elected officials accountable for fighting for the economic well-being of California families.
