ARTS EMERGENCY: More than 115 non-profit arts organizations in Los Angeles
are in dire jeopardy. The city is threatening to end its dollar-a-year
lease arrangements with these struggling groups. Few if any would be able
to survive. The proposed action would save the city some $1.2 million and
cost it infinitely more in lost tourism, facility employment, cultural
benefits and prestige as a major art center. The City Council will
discuss--perhaps decide--this vital issue this Wednesday night. It will
take a powerful public protest to stop this shortsighted, assinine proposal.
Please contact ARTS FOR LA www.artsforla.com
to join the "save the arts in L.A. campaign". Please do it NOW. Tomorrow
may be too late.
***
From: "Sid Shniad" <shniad@gmail.com>
Governor does have alternatives to proposed cuts
"Democrats proposed a 13-cent tax increase on a pack of cigarettes with
the revenues designated for children's health care programs. We also
proposed an oil extraction fee on oil produced in California. These measures
would have generated revenues to offset our current budget deficit.
Unfortunately, both proposals failed to secure the two-thirds vote required
to be enacted."
By Rep. Bill Monning
Santa Cruz Sentinel: 05/23/2010
Gov. Schwarzenegger's May Revise of the 2010-11 budget represents a cynical
attack on the most vulnerable people in California. In unveiling the May
Revise, the governor stated the budget should be a reflection of what we
value most. However, one wonders exactly what Gov. Schwarzenegger values
after examining his final budget proposal.
California faces an estimated $19.1 billion deficit, a direct result of the
continuing impacts of the recession. One of the solutions being proposed is
a savings of approximately $1 billion by eliminating the CalWORKS program.
CalWORKS is California's welfare-to-work program and primarily supports
single mothers and children. Of the 1.4 million Californians served by
CalWORKS, two-thirds are children. This proven program moves people from
poverty into the middle class. The proposed elimination of CalWORKS is wrong
in both human and economic terms.
In Santa Cruz County there are 5,500 CalWORKS recipients, 75 percent of
which are children. In Monterey County there are 15,000 CalWORKS recipients,
the majority of which are also children. Eliminating CalWORKS will force
many single mothers who are working in low-paying, minimum wage jobs to
leave their jobs in order to take care of their children.
In addition, the governor's proposal cuts billions from schools, in turn
eliminating the jobs of thousands of teachers, cuts the state's In-Home
Supportive Services IHSS program, which serves the disabled, and eliminates
funding for child care. All of these proposals are job-killers. Our economy
cannot rebound and unemployment cannot be reduced when the governor proposes
to eliminate core services.
At a time when job creation is vital to our state's recovery, the governor's
May Revise will take California in the opposite direction. The proposed
elimination of CalWORKS will cost the state $3.7 billion in federal funds
annually. A billion dollar cut in Medi-Cal will cost California more than
35,000 jobs and for every dollar cut to IHSS services, the state will
forfeit $2.47 of federal funding.
The governor argues that while he finds the proposed cuts to be
discomforting, he has "no other options." But other options do exist. Last
year Democrats proposed a 13-cent tax increase on a pack of cigarettes with
the revenues designated for children's health care programs. We also
proposed an oil extraction fee on oil produced in California. These measures
would have generated revenues to offset our current budget deficit.
Unfortunately, both proposals failed to secure the two-thirds vote required
to be enacted.
There are those who will say no to any new revenues. However, will these
same individuals also accept responsibility for California's decline as the
state's public education system races to the bottom, as public safety and
public services are compromised, and as the poorest and most vulnerable are
forced on to the streets to become wards of cash strapped local governments?
It is interesting to note that just 10 years ago, 1 percent of Californians
controlled 13 percent of the state's wealth ,and now that same 1 percent
control 24 percent of the wealth. While many Californians have shared in the
pain of the state's budget cuts, how many who came away unscathed are
stepping up to be part of the solution?
During similar budget crises, Republican governors have had the political
courage to balance the budget with a combination of difficult cuts and
additional revenues. The proposed "cuts only" budget advanced by the current
governor and supported by Republican legislators, represents life and death
dilemmas for too many Californians and does nothing to assist in
revitalizing the state's struggling economy.
There are no easy answers, but all Californians, including the wealthiest,
should share some stake in the future of our state and our communities. We
must continue to fight back with a humane counter-proposal that will save
California not only today, but for generations to come.
Bill Monning represents the 27th Assembly District , which includes portions
of Santa Cruz, Monterey and Santa Clara counties.
No comments:
Post a Comment