Rep. Loretta Sanchez: "State Can't Fix Its Budget Problems At The Expense Of California Families"

Press Release

Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez today issued the following statement in response to the California legislature's proposed cuts of critical social service programs, including funding for Alzheimer's patients at adult day healthcare centers:

"I am extremely disappointed that Governor Schwarzenegger and our state legislature are considering balancing the state budget on the backs of California families. Many of the cuts being proposed would cause significant harm to some of our most vulnerable citizens - our senior citizens, our disabled, and our young people.

"I was particularly disheartened when I read an article in today's Los Angeles Times about a 93 year-old Boyle Heights woman who suffers from Alzheimer's disease but has seen dramatic improvements since entering a state-run Alzheimer's care program. This program, which is run by California's adult day centers, is one of the many programs the Governor and state legislature are considering cutting back. Needless to say, her family is extremely worried about the impact a program shut down would have on their mother's condition.

"This story had a profound impact on me because my father suffers from Alzheimer's. Many Californians who suffer from this debilitating disease cannot afford to get the help they need, and the only place they can turn to are state-run facilities. Is Governor Schwarzenegger really willing to cut out the only safety net these families have?

"Gov. Schwarzenegger and the state legislature need to find a better way to stop wasteful spending in government. Cutting these social service programs won't solve California's budget crisis. It will only cause real people to suffer."

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