CA Gov. to seek cuts in aid to families on welfare

From the January 8, 2007 LA Times

Gov. to seek cuts in aid to families on welfare: Children whose parents don’t work enough or are undocumented would lose funds.
While at the same time he is expected to move forward with a plan to expand health insurance to many of the same children.SACRAMENTO — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will propose a major rollback of the state’s welfare system this week, including a cutoff of aid to tens of thousands of children whose parents do not meet minimum work requirements or are in the country illegally, administration officials said Sunday.

The proposed $465-million reduction in California’s welfare budget came two days after the governor promised that his second term would feature “post-partisan” cooperation.

It was met immediately with resistance from Democrats, who expressed bewilderment that the governor would attempt to cut welfare aid to children in the same week his administration is expected to move forward with a plan to expand health insurance to many of the same children.

“It’s ironic that the governor is proposing healthcare for poor kids while taking away their breakfasts,” state Senate leader Don Perata (D-Oakland) said of the cuts, which would affect more than 40,000 families. “Even Republican Gov. [Pete] Wilson, at the time he negotiated welfare reform, agreed that children should not suffer for the behavior of their parents.”

The plan alarmed advocates for the poor, who predicted that eliminating the cash payments of several hundred dollars a month would substantially increase the risk of homelessness for those families.

Schwarzenegger’s proposal also would eliminate this year’s cost-of-living increase for welfare recipients.

For the rest of the story, please go to http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/la-me-budget8jan08,1,4748769.story