Equally concerning, many communities have doubts about the SPLA’s capacity to protect disarmed communities, despite increasing SPLA efforts to address community-level violence (after previous reluctance to engage in such internal issues and a preference that they be handled by police, who are badly in need of additional resources and training). In addition, disarmament efforts don’t seem to be coupled with economic development initiatives or other programs to help disarmed individuals and communities generate income to feed themselves, as some previously depended on their arms for hunting or stealing food from others. Equallogic Prices

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A number of diverse elements contribute to the city’s financial health as a whole. In a lead up to the City’s Annual Budget Workshop, we are pleased to provide an overview for our readers.
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To whome it may concern,

As your constituent I am writing to ask that you restore the funding for homecare through the In Home Supportive Services Program and the cuts already made to the SSI/SSP programs. Please do not allow the proposed cuts in these important programs to take effect on July 1st.
California needs valuable programs like In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) to continue to provide critical services to the elderly and disabled in this state. Even more so in troubled economic times, we need to invest in our citizens and our local economies. IHSS brings federal funds to the state and these funds are spent in local counties where they are earned. IHSS is not a welfare program, it provides real and much needed jobs. SSI/SSP is for the poor and disabled to live in their homes who are unable to work, to pay their rent, buy groceries and utilities, etc.We can barely liveon what we are given as it is , in this bad economy.

On a personal note, I just want to make you aware of my situation as a recipient of IHSS services and how the draconian cuts to them will affect me, my family and my provider/caregiver.
I am a 43 year old quadriplegic man with a very higher level of physical disability as a result of a motor vehicle accident 25 years ago. I have a complete spinal cord injury at the C5-6 level (in my neck). Basically, I need the use of a power wheelchair to get around. I have no use of my hands and cannot feel anything below my chest. I have to have help with nearly every activity in and around my home, including personal care. I need help with bowel and bladder care, bathing, dressing, cooking and meal prep, house cleaning, ambulatory services, and need full assist getting in and out of bed-chair-car, to the doctor, grocery store, etc. That’s the short list. I also suffer from occasional anxiety and depression because of my situation.
I was 19 years of age when I had my accident and had just graduated from Navy basic training when my accident happened. I applied for VA benefits, but was denied eligibility because my injury was “not service connected” and “not enough time in service”. So, I have had to depend on IHSS for my care all these years. I have no other choices.
My caregiver is so invaluable to me, that I would be either in a nursing home or worse if I didn’t have her services. I am ever so grateful for my independence (from nursing homes) and will do anything to keep and protect it. It is because of IHSS that she has a quality job and I get a better quality care at a considerable bargain to the state, by not having to live in an expensive nursing home - for the last 25 years.
I cannot understate my quality of life – such that it is – because of IHSS and being able to live at home. It could be considerably worse. I wouldn’t wish nursing homes on anyone except prisoners with a death sentence.
My caregiver and IHSS program has been the sole reason why I haven’t been rotting away in an expensive, government funded nursing home. Personally, I don’t think I would have lived 1 week in such a facility – I’m sure I would have ended my own life than suffer. No Kidding!!
I don’t have family in California that can help me with my care on a moments notice or who could help full time in any capacity, as they have their own families to care for.
Furthermore, cutting IHSS funding will take food off the table for my caregiver. She will probably quit at some point and look for a more lucrative job elsewhere. That will effect the quality of care I will receive and the quality of caregivers I can attract in the future. The paycheck that she earns, goes strait into the economy. When you cut the funds, she cuts her spending. And the economy suffers further.
Her union - The United Domestic Workers of America - has fought for several years to get theses workers a living wage in California as well as medical benefits. The cuts in IHSS will roll back 10 years in gains to these caregivers. She currently, earns $9.50 per hour.
That is still not a living wage in California. I cannot imagine anyone in government working at that wage level, but she does. Do you? Could you slash your wages that low and live on it too?
As I understand it, for every dollar the state cuts from the budget, the federal government gives three dollars LESS to the state. It seems the State is shooting itself in the foot! We need more money in this state, and this is a very regressive step in the wrong direction.
I am a person with a disability that won’t go away. I am not a pork barrel project that can be cut back in lean years. I have civil rights as a human being and a person with disabilities. I feel these rights are being trounced upon every time the budget gets slashed, because I feel targeted. It causes me high anxiety and I get depressed over it every July 1st.
The state legislature, and the governor, has every year that I can remember, either threatened or succeeded in cutting back state benefits. The State always tries to balance the budget over the backs of the state’s elderly and disabled.
I have watched as all the civil rights gains we as disabled people have fought for over many years, be treated as a budget liability and should be cut first. It’s damn shameful. I am convinced that some in the state government would like nothing more than for us to simply “go away” or die. Its harsh but true.
Instead, I believe the first cuts should be to the Illegal immigrants who have been mooching off of the welfare system for years! I voted for Prop 187 for this very reason. They are costing the state untold billions that they have no rights to. Nowhere in the Constitution does it say “We must support every undocumented immigrant at any cost”- and cut services from the poor and disable to make up the difference. I believe that the state is willing to protect the immigrants’ rights at the expense of the poor, elderly and disabled legal citizen’s. Do I sound angry yet??
Also, why are we Californians paying the most in the nation for our public schools, and getting the least net benefit for our money? Why not cut money there instead of the programs that I use that are proven effective? And what about those environmental oversight boards? What benefit do they provide that is cost-effective to keep?
I can think of many other state sponsored programs that need cutting, rather than the ones proposed by the Governor.
I would like to quote the State Treasurer, Bill Lockyer, on the Cuts to IHSS:
"I consider the suffering that would be caused by these particular cuts to be both severe and compelling. Further, the effect of these reductions would be greatly amplified by the fact the State would forego additional Federal matching and overmatching funds. For these reasons, I strongly urge the Governor and Legislature to reconsider at least these programmatic cuts before they take effect on July I."

Also I would like to quote Doug Moore, Executive Director of United Domestic Workers.
"This is a shameful day for California. Our governor and our legislative leaders have played a game of Russian roulette with the lives of nearly a half million of California 's most vulnerable citizens and the people who care for them at home. Today, the bullet was in the chamber. All this will do is bring more pain. Pain to the elderly, blind and disabled. Pain to low-income caregivers. And pain to California taxpayers when more people are forced out of home care and into more costly nursing homes. We can only hope that the legislature and the governor will heed the warning of State Treasurer Bill Lockyer and rescind the cuts in the In Home Supportive Services program."
The cuts being proposed are still disproportionately aimed at home care, while far more costly solutions like nursing homes and institutions are funded. Study after study shows that both the recipients and their families prefer home care to institutional care. These same studies show that homecare saves the state money.
You are elected to represent all Californians. I hope that after reading this communication you will take action to rescind the IHSS program cuts.
Mr. Schwarzenegger, I actually voted for you in the last two elections. I hope that you will represent me and this issue with full consideration of my comments herein.
For myself and all those who need and use these services and the employees, I implore you to look elsewhere to save money and restore our IHSS funding to pre-cut levels. Our lives are depending on it.
Please keep me informed on your position and votes that affect this issue.

Sincerely,

James Weber

cc: Governor Schwarzenegger
cc: Senator Dennis Hollingsworth
cc: Assemblyman Joel Anderson