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Schwarzengger Puts Forth New Budget Proposal: Goodbye Welfare & Most State Parks!
Since Californians overwhelmingly rejected his propositions last week in the special election, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger released his latest budget plan detailing $5.5 billion in cuts from a deficit estimated to be $24.3 billion by July 1 (that's higher than the $21.3 billion that was touted in the last few weeks).
One of the programs would eliminate the state's welfare program, making California the only state in the country without such a service. "Every single first-world nation has a safety net program for children," said Will Lightbourne, Santa Clara County's social services director, to the Mercury News. "This would return us to the era of Dickens — you'd have to go back to the 19th century to find a comparable proposal."
Other program cuts include dropping 1 million poor children from health insurance, cutting off new grants for college students and shuting down 80 percent of state parks, according to the paper.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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