On Tuesday, Fresno area residents gathered in downtown Fresno to protest proposed budget cuts to health and human services. (Read this Vida article to learn more about how the cuts will impact low-income communities of color.)
Here’s a look at the people who would be impacted by the cuts proposed in Gov. Jerry Brown’s 2012-2013 budget:
SHARON ESQUIVEL
In-home day care provider
Major concern: Proposed cuts to CalWORKS include the elimination of about 61,000 child care slots for families that have transitioned from welfare to work.
“We have a beautiful flag with a bear on it that flies over the State of California. (The children, the handicapped and the elderly) are not the fleas on the back of that bear that flies over California so beautifully. Stop making them feel that they are less than everybody else – everybody deserves a chance.”
ANA JONES
Seasonal IRS employee
Major concern: If the proposed cuts go through, she and other Stage 3 CalWORKS recipients would lose their child care.
“I’m a single mom of two boys, I was on welfare for about 6 years and during those six years, I was able to earn job at the IRS… Without childcare, bottom line, I will not be able to work – I will not be able to provide for my kids.”
JOHN WILKINS
31-year recipient, In-Home Supportive Services
Major concern: IHSS to the elderly and disabled would be cut by $292 million as hours are cut 20 percent and eligibility would be eliminated for recipients with other family members living at home.
“Doctors didn’t expect me to live past age 30, and I give full and complete credit to this program for giving me the value and quality of life it has taken for me to live independently.”
RICHARD YANES
Executive director, Fresno Metro Ministry
Major concern: Breadth of cuts to health and human services
“What we’re looking for is fairness, is equitability, and a fair budget. What we have is wealth redistribution of the worst sort – we have looters in this country who are redistributing the wealth, in a way that we don’t agree with.”
Do you have concerns about the proposed budget?
1 comment so far ↓
Sadly, I am leaving California because of the complete elimination of state funding to public libraries. (Last year, public libraries received $30 million). This, coupled with cuts to public universities (and their libraries) will take libraries back 30 years.
I can’t live here anymore.
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