March, 2006
I have to say I'm pretty sick of all this rain. I can't remember a time when we've had such ugly weather. Yes...Yes...I know... we need it...it keeps the grass green...the plants growing and all that, but enough already! We need sunshine! We need Spring!
I guess sometimes you have to find your own rays of sunshine. If you look hard enough you can find them. My ray of sunshine is my new nephew, Shawn. What a little miracle he is, such a gift to my family. All I have to do is look at his picture and all is well again. Welcome to the world, little one...We love you.
Just when it seems all is dark and gloomy, you hear something that reminds you that the sun will shine again soon. Take for example, the recent vote by the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Human Services to reject the Governor's proposal to withhold federal funds for cost of living adjustments (COLA's) for people who receive Supplemental Security Income/State Supplemental Payment (SSI/SSP). I'm going to give those of you wondering how we went from talking about the weather to the State Budget a moment to catch your breath. So much for smooth transitions...
Governor Schwarzenegger had wanted to divert funds for SSI/SSP COLAs to other programs in an attempt to solve the State's budget crisis. In a 4-0 decision, the members of Assembly Budget Subcommittee #1 voted that those funds needed to go to the people they were meant for... the recipients.
Assemblymember Hector De La Torre (Democrat-Southgate) noted the huge response he had received from recipients around the State objecting to the Governor's proposal. His office was sent over 500 letters on this issue, all of which he brought with him to the hearing. So, what's the lesson here? The lesson is, policymakers do listen to those that elected them, and letters work. I have asked readers to write letters many times, in fact nearly every column is a call to action of some sort.
I constantly get comments from people who think that letters don't work. My letter won't make a difference in the big picture...they complain. When are people going to understand that in the time it takes them to complain, they could have written a letter on an issue that is important to them? Despite all the negative things that happen in this world there are still people who care about others. I will teach my nephew to be one of those people.
The Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee also rejected this proposal back in January, so for now it is dead. It's important to keep in mind however that nothing is final until after the Governor signs the Budget. We won't know anything more about the State's fiscal picture until after the May Revision, or so-called "May Revise" when budget estimates are adjusted based on income tax revenue. At the rate we're going, it will still be raining by then...and I'll still be looking for the sun.