U.S. Rep. Mike Levin, D-San Juan Capistrano, held a press conference in Solana Beach Aug. 26 to discuss infrastructure projects and other possible effects if there is a government shutdown.
Congress has been in recess for the last month, and will reconvene during the first week of September. There is a Sept. 30 deadline to avoid a shutdown.
Levin said he thinks Congress is “further away from a government funding bill” compared to comparable points in his previous seven years in office.
Some of the local projects that could be impacted include Safe Routes to School in Solana Beach, North Coast Highway 101 Drainage Improvements Projects in Encinitas, and the San Dieguito Lagoon Shoreline Protection Project in Del Mar.
“A government shutdown isn’t just a Washington headline, it would mean real impacts for our communities,” Levin said, flanked by council members from cities along the North County coastal corridor. “From Solana Beach to San Juan Capistrano, projects that protect our coast, improve our transportation and help law enforcement, are at risk. Additionally, families could face skyrocketing health care premiums if tax credits aren’t extended. My focus when Congress resumes session is to make sure we pass a responsible funding bill that keeps our communities’ priorities and projects on track.”
There is more than $16.6 million in federal funding at stake for projects from Orange County to Del Mar, according to Levin’s office.
In Solana Beach, the funding would be used to help construct about 1,400 feet of sidewalks along Glencrest Drive.
“Building this project closes a critical pedestrian gap for kids from the surrounding neighborhoods that leads them to safe crosswalks on their way to both Skyline Elementary School and Earl Warren Middle School,” Solana Beach Mayor Lesa Heebner said. “We know from nationwide studies that there are physical and educational benefits to children who arrive at school by walking or biking. Physical activity has a positive impact on academic achievement.”