BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Kern County Assemblyman Vince Fong released a statement on the upcoming year's state budget, referring to it as "rubbing salt into the wounds of taxpayers."

The budget was passed out of the legislature and is awaiting a signature from Governor Gavin Newsom.

Fong said "passing a budget that includes a 9-billion dollar tax increase on struggling businesses and medical research for COVID-19 is simply tone-deaf."

He went on to say "we should halt all new taxes and regulations in order to get back on track as quickly as possible for the millions of Californians who are struggling to find work."