Because she is of impressive height, closer to the clouds than all of her woman colleagues and most men in her Sacramento life, Assemblyperson Holly Mitchell (D-Culver City) commands a second look where ‘ere she goes.
[img]1297|left|Holly Mitchell||no_popup[/img]But since she carries her striking range unobtrusively and speaks with the compelling authority of an older-timer, she is able to melt in with the power crowd.
This has allowed the softly imposing Ms. Mitchell to effect “some” changes in her opening year in the state Assembly, not the splashy waves she had envisioned, but a difference.
She didn’t blow smoke at summary time. She didn’t claim that she had singlehandedly reversed the course of her causes of choice in this section of Los Angeles County. The changes she achieved mattered, but were smaller than what she aimed for.
These thoughts bubbled, smilingly, to the surface on Friday afternoon when Ms. Mitchell hosted a year-end, invitation-only thank-you event at the Mayme A. Clayton Library & Museum for scores of her best friends — a brace of Culver City area volunteers who peopled a half-dozen of her specialty committees.
At the Clayton, scarcely a chair was in view. The crowd, many of them certificate-of-appreciation recipients, was asked to stand throughout the two-hour program, underscoring Ms. Mitchell’s magnetism and the perspicacity of her supporters.
Not to mention their sturdy ankles and comfortable footwear.
In observance of the first anniversary of her election to the Assembly as successor to now-U.S. Rep. Karen Bass (D-Culver City), Ms. Mitchell said she purposely did not invite the world in to witness a parade of thank-yous. “I didn’t want this to be a great big lavish holiday celebration,” she said. “This was for those who have been active participants in government, people who have turned out to support the work we are doing in the 47th Assembly District.
Special People
“This was for people who participated in our Christmas-in-July event, helping low-income working families in the District, people who came to our Town Hall on the budget, childcare, people who participated in our tele-Town Hall on various issues.
“Our next Town Hall,:” she said, “will be in February, after Gov. Brown releases his budget and we have something to respond to.”
While Ms. Mitchell was perfectly positioned this year as chair of the Assembly budget subcommittee on Health and Human Services — the layered cause that is central to her professional and personal lives — the budget news was devastating. Of the $11 billion shaved from the state budget, a hefty $6.5 billion of it was slashed from Health and Human Services.
Tabulating the Losses
“This is the area that I focus on, and I think it is critical for all of California,” she said. “The governor is projecting a $13 billion deficit for this coming year. I am deeply concerned that the health and human services of California for the most vulnerable, will continue to be compromised.”
Is there any hope for deflecting a significant proportion of threatened cuts?
“The reality,” said Ms. Mitchell, “is that I don’t know that I can do anything in a major way. But I am proud of some small things we were able to do this past year.
“We were able to reduce the cuts to childcare by half. The governor proposed $750 million. We reduced it to $300 million. For the CalWorks children-only program, affecting the most vulnerable 300,000 children, it was supposed to be eliminated and we got it reinstated.
“And so while we were limited in our ability to have macro impact,” said Ms. Mitchell, “we were able, in a small way, to make sure our most vulnerable did not lose all of the services they need.
“However, we lost adult day healthcare. It no longer exists. The MediCal program sustained major, major cuts. So there is a lot of work to be done in 2012.”
Assemblyperson Mitchell may be contacted at http://asmdc.org/members/a47/
