North Coast legislators decry Trump cutbacks

March 18--President Donald Trump's proposed budget cuts and his vow to repeal Obamacare would have a devastating impact on California, North Coast legislators told local Latino leaders Friday.

The elimination of President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act would alone cost the state $24.5 billion and leave millions of its 39 million residents without health insurance, Assemblyman Jim Wood said Friday at a luncheon hosted in Santa Rosa by the Latino leadership group Los Cien.

The Healdsburg Democrat, a dentist by profession, said 4 million residents have benefited from Obamacare's Medicaid expansion while an additional 1.4 million have purchased insurance through the state's health exchange, Covered California.

"A total of 5.4 million people in California are at risk of losing health care," said Wood, who is chairman of the state Assembly Health Committee. "I have to do everything I can to focus on that."

Wood, along with state Sen. Bill Dodd, D-American Canyon, were the guest speakers at the luncheon hosted by Los Cien, the county's largest Latino leadership group. In response to a question about universal health care, both Wood and Dodd expressed support for a single-payer system operated by the government but said now was not the time to wage that fight.

"If we're going to be successful with single-payer, I can't start 24 and a half billion dollars in the hole," Wood said.

The forum also included video messages from state Sen. Mike McGuire, D-Healdsburg, and Assemblyman Marc Levine, D-San Rafael. All four state legislators affirmed their support for SB 54, a proposed law that would prohibit local law enforcement from cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a federal agency that enforces immigration laws.

At the luncheon, Wood and Dodd said they supported efforts to "protect" undocumented immigrants and their families whose hard work has contributed greatly to the North Coast community. But Dodd raised concerns that SB 54 would be used to protect undocumented immigrants who are violent felons.

The bill, authored by Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León, has been amended to require that state prisons and county jails notify federal officials 60 days before releasing an undocumented immigrant with a violent felony conviction. Dodd said that requirement should be expanded to include serious felons.

Wood echoed Dodd's concerns and pointed to marijuana grows in Northern California involving violent Mexican, Russian, Bulgarian and Chinese nationals.

"But I do not support the activities of ICE and what they are doing now," said Wood, referring to Trump administration policies that expanded the categories of undocumented immigrants targeted for deportation.

"Everybody in our community, regardless of immigration status, regardless of the color of your skin ... should have equal protection under the law," said Wood.

The lawmakers said the state Legislature stands ready to fight the Trump administration on a number of issues, including the environment. To that end, the Legislature has hired former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to represent California in its legal battles against the federal government.

"You can't just sit back and complain. You've got to be proactive," said Dodd. "We're going to challenge these things that are coming down from the federal government every step of the way."

You can reach Staff Writer Martin Espinoza at 707-521-5213. On Twitter @renofish.

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