Democrats, Seniors Citizens and Health Care Workers Denounce Governor's Cuts (California Political Desk)

California Political Desk
June 14, 2008

(PLEASANT HILL) – The Governor´s budget cuts to In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) would devastate thousands of families and hurt the economy by reducing hours and jobs for many health care workers employed by the valuable safety net program, Democratic legislators said today.

Joining senior citizens, their relatives, health care workers who attend to the elderly and their medical needs and local officials at Mt. Diablo Center for Adult Day Health Care in Pleasant Hill, Sen. Tom Torlakson (D-Antioch) and Assemblyman Mark DeSaulnier (D-Martinez) said the cuts are both a bad moral decision and poor economics.

The Governor´s budget plan would eliminate $266 million from the IHSS program, which provides care to low-income, disabled and aged Californians in their homes and allowing them to avoid more expensive out-of-home care. The program serves 396,000 Californians.

"We must protect our most vulnerable citizens from these devastating cuts," Torlakson said.

"This Governor and the Republicans are leaving behind the disabled and seniors by pushing a budget that deeper divides the haves and have-nots," DeSaulnier said. "As food and prescription costs squeeze seniors´ budgets, we cannot take away the caregivers they depend on everyday. It's time for the Governor to talk about real solutions."

The Governor´s budget plan would slash funding for a whole range of health care services, from hospitals to medical coverage for the poor to programs that help thousands of California´s senior citizens get the help they need to continue living independently.

Under the Governor´s plan, the state would reduce the wages it reimburses for IHSS workers, lower the hours of IHSS provided and eliminate IHSS for 83,000 recipients. The cutbacks would force many families to turn to more expensive assistance and swell the ranks of unemployed by eliminating IHSS positions.

Democrats believe the state must maintain its core services to ensure Californians have a strong economy and a bright future. The Governor´s plan to lay off thousands of school teachers, health care workers and other vital civil servants would damage California´s economy at the worst possible time.

Democrats have pledged to develop an honest budget that improves the state´s finances over the long term. The Governor´s accounting gimmicks and ill-advised cuts not only fail to solve the state´s fiscal problems but undermine California´s economy by dramatically increasing job losses.