California's Bad News Budget - St. Anthony Foundation

budget puzzle

This is the day I’ve been dreading since January: the day that Governor Schwarzenegger releases his revised budget proposal for the 2010-11 fiscal year.

The “May Revise”, as it’s called, just went live about an hour ago. With only an hour of analysis under my belt so far, I can simply tell you this: it’s bad!

The Governor proposes the following:

Complete elimination of California’s welfare-to-work program (CalWORKs).

Significant cuts to mental health services for children and adults.

Elimination of the California Food Assistance Program, which provides food stamp-like benefits to lawful immigrants.

Reduction of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for the low-income elderly, blind, and disabled (the fourth cut that SSI recipients will have suffered over the past year).

Drastic cuts to the In Home Support Service program, which provides home care for the elderly and disabled. (The Governor also proposes cutting the wages of home care workers.)

When I read through this list of cuts, I don’t just think about dollars and programs, I think about the people who will be affected. When I think about the people who will be hurt, I think about St. Anthony Dining Room. Who are the people we provide free nutritious meals to on a daily basis? They are the same people who are represented in the cuts list above: the elderly, the disabled, low-wage workers, immigrants, people with mental illness, and struggling families.

All of us, rich and poor, housed and homeless, old and young, suffer when the most vulnerable people in our community suffer. We at St. Anthony’s will continue to analyze the May Revise and will continue to advocate for fair budgets! Watch this space for further updates.

California’s Bad News Budget

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