OPINION – Federal and state officials were in San Diego recently to celebrate the newly rebuilt West Mission Bay Drive Bridge and the billions in infrastructure funding flowing to projects all over California. Looking beyond the photo op, I see an opportunity to not only repair our roads and bridges but also build a new vision of shared prosperity and quality jobs for all Californians.

It’s not only our infrastructure that is in disrepair. California is among the most productive and richest economies in the world, but we have enormous rates of income inequality, child poverty, food insecurity, and homelessness. Millions of Californians go every day to a job—or multiple jobs—that don’t cover rent, groceries, and other necessities. These challenges are not shared equally: nearly 80% of low-wage workers in our state are people of color and 40% are immigrants. All of this is a sign that our work ethic is strong but our economy is broken.