For Immediate Release March 25, 2009
CONTACT:
Clarissa Woo (Stop the Cuts!) (213) 503-3505
Community Members Call on State to Make Economic Stimulus Plan Work Pulling the "Trigger" Will Leave Federal Money on the Table
Los Angeles, CA - LOS ANGELES--Community groups, labor organizations and individuals gathered at City Hall today, expressing alarm over likely additional state budget cuts to health, education and disability programs.
"Trigger" cuts, approved by the Legislature and signed by the Governor in the last budget agreement, will further reduce funding to Medi-Cal, disability beneficiaries and higher education. State Treasurer Bill Lockyer and Director of Finance Mike Genest must determine by April 1 st whether enough funding will be received by the federal govei:nment as part of the stimulus package approved last month in Washington D.C. Ifnot, these cuts would amount to nearly $950 million of additional losses to essential programs.
These cuts come on the heels of almost $15 billion in cuts to health care, education and social services inflicted as part of February' s budget agreement between Legislative Democrats, Republicans and Governor Schwarzenegger.
"The federal government is giving money to low-income people and the state then proposes to take it away from these very same people. That is not acting in the spirit of what the economic stimulus funds are for. These additional cuts threaten to further devastate the most vulnerable in Los Angeles and the state by endangering critical services for millions of residents," said Nancy Berlin, director of California Partnership, a coalition of community organizations fighting poverty.
"The elimination of Medi-Cal benefits like dental, optometry, podiatry, and psychology would not just impact three million California parents, seniors, and people with disabilities," said Donald Nollar, of Maternal and Child Health Access. "California would lose significant federal matching funds that our health system and our economy needs."
Attendees at today's event argue that State officials may be reading the budget language too narrowly as there is more than $4 billion in stimulus money that will likely be used to alleviate cuts but is not being counted by statewide officials for purposes of avoiding the trigger cuts.
Also speaking at the event were teachers, elderly and disabled individuals and low-income families.
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Los Angeles Officials and Community Members Call on State to Make Economic Stimulus Plan Work Pulling the "Trigger" Will Leave Federal Money on the Table
Los Angeles, CA - The State Treasurer and Director of Finance are now in a position to impose "Trigger Cuts" in the state budget totaling nearly $950 million of further losses to essential programs. These cuts would further devastate the most vulnerable in our communities by endangering critical services, less than two months after California passed close to $15 billion in cuts to health care, education and social services. These cuts cause further harm to an economy that needs improvement.
At a time when the economic downturn has made L.A County's residents more vulnerable than ever, the looming trigger cuts will disproportionately impact Los Angeles' most underserved, including seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income community members. Community members and local elected officials will call on the State to stop additional "trigger" cuts that would impact local services. Now is not the time to diminish our investment in LA's communities.
Speakers List
Councilman Richard Alarcon, Los Angeles City Council
William Cho, SSI and MediCal recipient
Elmore Dignadice, Los Angeles teacher
Representatives from the Stop the Cuts! Coalition
Patients, CalWORKS recipients, In-Home Supportive Service Workers, Teachers and others affected by the trigger cuts.
Action Alert
Stop the Trigger Cuts!
Background:
The State budget enacted Feb. 20, 2009 requires the State Treasurer and Director of Finance to determine by April 1, 2009 whether California will receive at least $10 billion from the $789 billion federal economic stimulus package to avoid additional cuts to health, social services and education. The Governor's Department of Finance has stated that California will notreceive enough money from the federal government to avoid more cuts to vital social services. But California is not opting to take advantage of all the money available, including money for higher education. The cuts that would be triggered include:
MediCal: Eliminate many services for adults, including dental care, podiatry, audiology and speech
therapy and psychological services.
CaIWORKS: Reduce grants by 4%, or about $30 per family per month. SSI/SSP: Reduce grants by 2.3% or about $30 a month.
In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS): Cap the state share of wages at $9.50 per hour (it is currently $11.50 per hour).
Higher Education: Another $100 million in cuts
TAKE ACTION NOW!!
Two Things You Can Do TODAY to Stop the Trigger Cuts:
1. Call the Governorand tell him to stop the trigger cuts and not leave federal money on the table.
Sacramento: Phone: 916-445-2841 Fax: 916-558-3160 los Angeles: Phone: 213-897-0322
2. E-Mail the State Treasurer, Bill Lockyer
The State Treasurer has a website where the public can comment on the trigger cuts. http://www.treasurer.ca.gov /10B BudgetTrigger/index.asp
Please e-mail theTreasurertodaytostopthetriggercuts:cdiac_education [at] treasurer.ca.gov
For more information, please contact Clarissa Woo (ACLU-SC) at cwoo [at] ac1u-sc.orqor 213-977-5241.
Stop the Cuts! is an alliance of community organizations and organized labor fighting for a fairer state budget that meets the needs of all communities and workers. Stop the Cuts! members oppose all cuts to education and health and human services because any cuts to vital services hurt all Californians. Member organizations include the ACLU of Southern California, ACORN, Asian Pacific American Legal Center, California Partnership, CHIRLA, Coalition LA, Community Clinics Association of Los Angeles County, Crystal Stairs, Health Access, LIFETIME Parent Voices, Los Angeles Coalition to End Hunger and Homelessness, Maternal and Child Health Access, Planned Parenthood of Los Angeles, SEIU, Southern California Rehabilitation Services, United Teachers of Los Angeles, and others.
For more information, please contact Nancy Berlin (California Partnership) at 213-385-8010 or Clarissa Woo (ACLU of Southern California) at 213-977-5241.