SACRAMENTO  (AP) — Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins, a coal miner’s daughter who now holds one of the most powerful positions in California politics, said on Tuesday funding an effective safety net must be a top priority for the state to tackle poverty.

The San Diego Democrat’s remarks at a women’s policy summit in Sacramento come as lawmakers gird themselves for months of budget negotiations. Advocates have been pushing Gov. Jerry Brown to boost services such as child care, welfare and affordable housing.

An independent budget analysis released Monday predicts as much as $2 billion more in taxes than Gov. Jerry Brown predicted when drafting his $113 billion budget. Both the governor’s office and legislative analyst’s office expect most additional revenue to go to schools, leaving little room for other priorities.

Still, Atkins, who grew up poor in Appalachia, said the more generous estimate gives lawmakers more opportunities to expand social services during budget negotiations.

“We must continue to address the challenge of income inequality and ensure a strong middle class and a path into the middle class for those who are struggling,” she said. “It’s how I got here.”

Advocates for the poor note California continues to give less in monthly CalWORKS welfare grants, has fewer subsidized child care slots and provides less cash assistance to low-income seniors and people with disabilities than it did before the recession.

Sen. Holly Mitchell, one of the most active legislative advocates for the poor, said optimistic budget outlooks means the government can make room for expanding services while paying down liabilities.

She called on the governor to return the support of advocates who helped him in his push to temporarily increase taxes and create a rainy day fund.

“We are going to pay down debt, and we are going to rebuild families,” Mitchell, a Los Angeles Democrat. “It’s not an either-or.”

Brown has cautioned against overspending, noting another economic downturn and drop in tax revenues is inevitable. In a press conference last week releasing his spending plan, Brown said California devotes significant aid to the poor.