Republicans, Niello Have It Wrong on the Budget

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

There they go again.

Legislative Republicans are once again claiming the state's budget problems are simply the result of a spending problem. Exhibit A: Assemblymember Niello using short-sighted, bumper-sticker talking points to describe the state's budget problem on the right-wing Flash Report yesterday. Assemblymember Neillo is an honest, straightforward guy. And he ought to know better.
 
To his credit, Niello at least provides details for where he thinks there has been too much spending. Unfortunately, each of the areas he cites for excessive spending would only make matters worse for the budget.
 
First, Niello complains that In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) spending has grown too fast. Well, in case no one noticed, the population is getting older and the IHSS program is what keeps our aging grandparents and parents out of nursing homes. Why is this important? Well for one, it is a much better standard of care for our loved ones. But more importantly from a state budget standpoint, nursing homes are much more expensive then IHSS services. So cutting back IHSS services would only result in more people being forced into institutional care that would actually make our budget crisis much worse.
 
Second, Niello complains that we are spending too much on developmental disability programs. The rising costs of these programs has a lot to do with the rapidly increasing cases of autism. He can't be serious. This reminds me when legislative Republicans suggested taking the dog food away from Seeing Eye dogs (yes, they actually did that).  Mr. Niello has a fairly solid public record of compassion, so he can't really be saying that we need to take services away for the disabled simply because the caseload and costs are growing a bit faster than the rest of state spending.

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