[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Jovan Agee
Political and Legislative Director
United Domestic Workers of America

Governor Schwarzenegger has proposed ravaging cuts to the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS), which provides personal care and domestic services enabling 408,000 California seniors and people with disabilities to remain at home safely and avoid unnecessary, expensive and unwanted institutionalization.

"Governor Schwarzenegger has failed to protect the needy, blind, disabled and aged in our communities, and has shown a total disregard for what should be a top priority of California lawmakers overseeing state spending," said Bill Young, an IHSS consumer in Sacramento County and a member of the California Senior Legislature. "To deny those in need in the name of fiscal restraint is shameful for any leader, but especially desperate for Governor Schwarzenegger, who continues to disregard the plight of low-income families across the Golden State."

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Frank D. Russo

Today both the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) and the California League of Women Voters are wasting no time in denouncing as “shameful and deceptive” radio ads that apartment and mobile home park landlords started airing yesterday in support of Proposition 98 on the June ballot. They say that those who have bankrolled this initiative are trying to trick voters into believing Prop 98 is only about eminent domain, when in fact the measure was written by landlords, bankrolled by landlords and is for the sole financial benefit of them.

The record is clear. Apartment and mobile home park owners spent millions to place Proposition 98 on California’s June 3 statewide ballot. One picture says it all. Based on information from the California Secretary of State’s office through April 18, landlords and organizations that represent them have contributed 80% of funding behind Prop 98. Mobile home park owner interests have contributed the most to Yes on 98: (45%) in the amount of $1,770,699, followed closely by apartment owner interests (35%) in the amount of $1,373.84.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

$4 billion annual program currently serves 400,000 elderly, blind or disabled consumers; projected caseloads expected to reach 500,000 by 2012

By Jovan Agee
Political and Legislative Director
United Domestic Workers of America

Governor Schwarzenegger today dismissed any possibility of new state revenues to close a growing budget gap and instead proposed cuts to a popular state program that allows more than 400,000 California seniors and people with disabilities to receive home care and avoid unnecessary, expensive and unwanted institutionalization.

"We understand the magnitude of the budget deficit and that tough choices must be made,” said Evan LeVang, Co-Chair of the Quality Homecare Coalition. “However, we do not believe that the health and welfare of seniors and people with disabilities should be compromised in order to balance the budget.”

Since elected in 2003, Schwarzenegger has made it an annual practice to cut funding to the state’s In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program, attempting to balance the budget on the backs of the elderly, blind and people living with disabilities.

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

The campaign for the Term Limits and Legislative Reform Act has gotten off to a strong start at the Democratic Convention this weekend in San Diego, with our ranks growing quickly.
 
Just in recent weeks, the Congress of California Seniors, the California Teachers Association, the California State Building and Construction Trades Council, the California School Employees Association, SEIU 1000 and the Planning and Conservation League have officially joined our expanding coalition.
 
We’ve also launched our website, TermLimitsReform.com, for those who want to learn more about the initiative, to get involved and to stay informed through e-mail updates and more.