Media Contact: Michelle.Sherwood@sen.ca.gov

SHAFTER, CA – Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Bakersfield) today released the following statement after presenting a check for $6 million to build a new fire and police substation in Shafter:  

“Keeping people and our communities safe is essential for a healthy democracy, yet rural communities have historically been underfunded,” said Senator Hurtado. “As the city grows, ensuring residents continue to have fire and police services they need should be a priority. This $6 million investment in Shafter will help build a strong foundation of community safety for generations to come.”

The funding that Senator Hurtado secured in the 2022 State Budget included $6 million in funding for a new police and fire substation for the City of Shafter. This fire and police substation will be co-located in the southern area of the city, which will provide quicker police and fire response times. It will also help facilitate access to generalized services, which will undoubtedly increase with housing and population in the foreseeable future.

Figure 1: Shafter Mayor Cathy Prout presents a certificate of appreciation to the Senator for securing $6 million for a new police and fire substation in the City of Shafter

In the 2022 State Budget, Senator Hurtado secured $56 million to support investments in fire and public safety funding for cities and counties throughout the Central Valley. Investments include:

• $7 million for the City of Woodlake, towards a multipurpose center that will secure a location for a new Civic Center, Police Department, City Hall Administration Office, and Citizen Service Center;
• $10 million for the City of Porterville for an Emergency Operations Center;
• $5 million for the City of Sanger for the renovation of an outdated dispatch center;
• $2 million to the Lemoore Volunteer Fire Department for a new fire department building, and for updated equipment and training;
• $7 million for the City of Farmersville for fire station construction;
• $2 million to the City of Dinuba for fire department equipment and training;
• $2 million to the City of Lindsay to update fire equipment and provide training;
• $2.75 million to the Fresno County Fire Protection District for a new fire station and equipment;
• $4.5 million for the City of Selma for new fire station construction;
• $1.5 million to the City of Reedley for updating outdated communications equipment for police and fire departments;
• $2.5 million for the City of Parlier to update its police station
• $6 million to the City of Shafter for new fire and police substation construction

About Senator Melissa Hurtado

Senator Melissa Hurtado represents a new generation of Latina leaders as the youngest woman ever elected to the California State Senate and a product of immigrant parents. Senator Hurtado represents the 14th Senate District and focuses on rural community issues that often go unheard — access to clean air and water, food insecurity and poverty, inequities in environmental policies, agriculture and access to health care. In July 2020, she was appointed to the national Biden Latino Leadership Committee alongside former Labor Secretary and current Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis – the only two California Latinas on the Committee.

For more information, visit Senator Hurtado’s Website here or find her on Twitter at @Senator_Hurtado

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