February, 2004
I wish I had been wrong last month when I said that 2004 promised to be a very busy year, but I wasn't and it is starting very early. There are several things about to happen in California, and locally in Santa Cruz that will affect programs for people with disabilities.
Might as well get my favorite topic out of the way first, METRO and ADA Para-transit. Recently our local ADA Para-transit provider, Lift-Line, requested an additional $500,000 (approximately) in funding from METRO. METRO's response to this was to make a counter proposal to cancel the present contract and move this service in-house. At first glance this might look like a good proposal. In fact, it probably makes good economic sense to METRO. But several of the local advocacy organizations fear this step would create a confusing system that would not provide coordinated, seamless services. For the past couple of months several organizations have been advocating with the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission asking them to sponsor a community forum/meeting to openly discuss this issue.
We also need to get ready for some very possible belt tightening in the various municipalities. The Santa Cruz City Council is voting on January 27th (my deadline is before the vote) on implementing phase 4 of its' budget reductions, a not so cool $1,000,000. I hope this doesn't hurt too many of the social support organizations funded by the city, but I'm sure some services will decrease. The City of Santa Cruz is planning to make up some of the deficit through a ¼% increase in the sales tax. This will be on the March 2nd ballot and it seems to have wide support. If you have friends or relatives living in Santa Cruz that use Social Services programs then let them know about this ballot measure and get them to vote.
I've also begun getting calls about some of the governor's proposals to balance the budget. Just in case you've been cast away on a deserted island for the last 4 months, he has proposed dramatic cuts in several medical programs, the in-home-support-program and developmentally disabled services to name a few. He has also proposed a rather large bond issue - $15 billion for the March ballot. Please remember his proposal is just that and nothing is final, yet. But now is the time to start writing, calling and emailing your state Representatives and Senators to let them know how the governor's proposals will affect you and your family. If we sit quietly and do nothing, we will almost certainly see drastic reductions in programs that help millions of Californians. I hope all of you will show up at the polls on March 2nd and vote.
2004 no longer promises to be a very busy year, it is one already. Our efforts will help determine which services and organizations survive to assist people with disabilities live as independently as possible.
Always remember - Disability is a random event that can occur in any life, at any moment.
- Michael Bradshaw, Central Coast Center for Independent Living