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Video presentation (short version) of State Budget Information
Hundreds of UDW members across the state learned about potential IHSS cuts and how they can help protect the program at a series of budget information meetings July 11-15.
UDW Legislative/Political Department staff members Kristina Bas Hamilton, Sawait Hezchias-Seyoum, and Mimi Khalili visited every UDW office to provide members with information about the recently passed California state budget and the potential IHSS cuts it contains.
Click here to view their PDF presentation
The budget which passed the Legislature and was signed into law by Gov. Brown does Includes over $400 million in reductions and savings to IHSS.
However, it does contain “trigger language that could negatively impact all health and human services programs–including IHSS–next year.
If the Department of Finance determines in December of this year that the state will fall short of its revenue projections, it will “trigger” an automatic $200 million reduction in health and human services programs in January, including up to $100 million in cuts from IHSS.
UDW members at the meetings were told that the only way to prevent these continued attacks on the IHSS program is to find sources of revenue to end the state’s ongoing budget difficulties.
For this reason, UDW and its allies will be working on one or more possible ballot initiatives for the 2012 elections that would create or restore needed revenue.
“The bottom line is that we likely will have to use a ballot initiative to help ensure resources for the IHSS program,” Ms. Hamilton said. “That means that UDW members must get involved in signature gathering, voter education and get out the vote campaigns in the coming weeks and months. If we want to prevent even more cuts to IHSS, we really have no choice.”
