CDCAN LOGODISABILITY RIGHTS NEWS REPORT
Advocacy Without Borders: One Community
Report #169-2008  August 28, 2008  Thursday
California Disability Community Action Network Disability Rights News goes out to over 45,000 people with disabilities, mental health needs, seniors, their families, workers, community organizations, including those in Asian/Pacific Islander, Latino, African American communities, policy makers and others across California.
REPLY TO: MARTY OMOTO  martyomoto@rcip.com   website:   www.cdcan.us
REMEMBERING JOAN LEE - WE WILL NEVER FORGET HER
 
CALIFORNIA BUDGET CRISIS - DAY 59
SENATE WILL VOTE ON GOVERNOR'S COMPROMISE BUDGET PLAN AS REVISED BY SENATE DEMOCRATS - DOES NOT INCLUDE FEDERAL SSI COLA CUT
Unclear If Compromise Has Needed Republican Votes - Sales Tax Increase Would Remain Temporary - But No Reduction After 3 Years
 
SACRAMENTO (CDCAN)  - As previously reported, the State Senate is scheduled to vote on a State budget plan sometime on Friday, August 29.  The plan that will be put up for a vote is the Governor's "August Revised" budget compromise that he released August 20 - but with several significant revisions by Senate Democrats. For a copy of the revised plan go to the CDCAN website at www.cdcan.us
It is not clear if there are votes from at least 2 Senate Republicans to pass the budget - though the Senate Republican leadership says it is opposed to any tax increases, including sales tax increases, which the plan contains.  Given that, it appears the plan will likely fail to get the needed 27 votes for passage, though anything is possible depending on how the details of the compromise are laid out. 
 
No Cut To Federal SSI/SSP Cost of Living in Compromise Plan
The Governor's original compromise plan called for $2 billion in additional cuts on top of the spending plan put forward by the Democrats in June (as passed by the Budget Conference Committee controlled by Democrats), but Senate Democrats eliminated the Governor's proposal that called for suspension of the federal cost of living money due January 1, 2009 for people receiving SSI/SSP (Supplemental Security Income/State Supplemental Payment). 
 
Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata (Democrat - Oakland) announced on the Senate floor late this afternoon (August 27) that he intends to call for a vote on a compromise State budget plan sometime on Friday (August 29).  The State Senate will convene at 10:00 AM, though no definite time has been set yet when a vote on the budget compromise plan will take place. 
 
The State Constitution requires 27 votes to approve a budget in the State Senate.  Democrats control 25 of the 40 State Senate seats, with Republicans holding the remaining 15, which means if every Democrat votes for the budget plan, at least 2 Republicans are needed to vote for it too. 
 
CDCAN SUMMARY OF PLAN
Budget Reform
* Senate Democrats appeared to have made a major concession by agreeing to give the Governor - and future governors - the authority to make spending cuts by 7% during a budget year, in times when the State budget is in a deficit, though specifics are not available. This new authority is something the Governor has proposed in August and in his budget reform proposals that he made in January, and also in previous years.  Previously Democrats in both houses have rejected those proposals
* Agreement to the Governor's proposal for a "rainy day" fund.   
CDCAN Comment: the spending cut authority has been also previously opposed by advocates - though there are no details yet available on how the authority would work - and the authority would be limited to 7%. 
SPENDING CUTS
* Agrees with the Governor's August compromise for additional spending cuts - but rejects the Governor's proposal to cut (suspend) the federal cost of living money due January 1, 2009 for people receiving SSI/SSP.
CDCAN Comment: Other cuts, as approved and contained in the spending plan as adopted by the Budget Conference Committee controlled by the Democrats, would remain in the budget, including cut to the State cost of living for SSI/SSP due June 1, 2009 through May 31, 2010.  However that budget plan also restored most of the Medi-Cal provider rate reductions - and the compromise plan that will be voted on Friday maintains that restoration.  Other cuts, including the permanent cuts to regional centers (called "cost containment" measures) and the cut to the State cost of living for SSI/SSP due June 1, 2008 through October 1, 2008, that the Legislature approved in February, remain.  The cut to Medi-Cal providers, also approved in February and effective July 1, 2008, has been blocked by a temporary federal court order. 
* TAX INCREASES
* Agrees for a temporary three year sales tax increase of 1 cent,  as proposed by the Governor, but rejects the other parts of the Governor's proposal that would lower that tax after three years.
CDCAN Comment: The change in the Govenror's plan, which would have reduced the overall sales tax after three years, may lose the possible vote of Republican Sen. Roy Ashburn who said earlier that he could possibly support a sales tax increase if it resulted in a reduction - as the Governor's plan did.  The Senate Democratic revised plan eliminates the reduction and only proposes a 3 year temporary increase - a proposal that Republicans in both houses have strongly opposed.
 
Budget Delay Having Major Impact on Community Organizations Serving People With Disabilities, Seniors and Others
California has been without a budget for 59 days, with the impact of the budget delay growing for community organizations and others who provide critical services and supports for thousands of children and adults with disabilities, mental health needs, seniors and others.  Advocates remain deeply concerned about the impact of the delay - but also concern about additional spending cuts to critical health and human service programs. 
 
Assembly Voted On Budget August 17
 The Assembly voted on the Democratic budget plan (as passed by the Budget Conference Committee in June) on August 17, Sunday evening, that fell 9 votes short of passage. There has not been another vote in the Assembly since then.
 
 
 
READ LATEST MARTY OMOTO COMMENTARY "TROPIC THUNDER: WORDS IN MOVIES MATTER, BUT WORDS AND ACTION IN SACRAMENTO MATTER TOO" - available on the CDCAN website at www.cdcan.us
 
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MANY MANY THANKS to Regional Center of the East Bay, Friends of Children with Special Needs, UCP of Orange County, UCP of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, Alta California Regional Center, FEAT (Families for Early Autism Treatment),  Life Steps, Easter Seals California, Parents Helping Parents, Work Training, Foothill Autism Alliance, Arc Contra Costa, Pause4Kids, Manteca CAPS, Training Toward Self Reliance, UCP, California NAELA, Californians for Disability Rights, Inc (CDR) including CDR chapters, CHANCE Inc, , Strategies To Empower People (STEP), Harbor Regional Center, Tri-Counties Regional Center, Asian American parents groups, Resources for Independent Living and many other Independent Living Centers, several regional centers, People First chapters, IHSS workers, other self advocacy and family support groups, developmental center families, adoption assistance program families and children, and others across California