SEIU ULTCW comments on recommended cuts to the In-Home Supportive Services program

Laphonza Butler, Co-Trustee of SEIU ULTCW released the following statement regarding Governor Schwarzenegger's recommended cuts to the state's In-Home Supportive Services program in his FY 10-11 proposed budget today.

"The Governor's proposed 2010/2011 budget is an all-out attack on California's low-income seniors, people with disabilities, and those who provide them with vital homecare services.

"Governor Schwarzenegger claims his proposed budget is about 'priorities' and that he is 'fighting for California,' yet he is proposing measures that will decimate the lives of hundreds of thousands of Californians - taking away the services they rely on to remain safely at home and cutting in-homecare provider wages to minimum wage.

"Although the Governor says he wants more funding from the federal government, his additional threat to eliminate the homecare program - which would leave 465,000 low-income seniors and disabled without the care they need and place 350,000 in-home caregivers out of work - will result in the LOSS of billions of dollars in federal matching funds California receives each year.

"Simply put, Governor Schwarzenegger's budget is an insult to true California priorities as it will place the lives of our most fragile citizens in danger, result in the loss of hundreds of thousands of California homecare jobs, and end up costing - not saving - taxpayers millions of dollars. The Governor's budget does nothing to solve California's fiscal crisis - it only makes it worse and we will not stand for it. Californians deserve better than this."