KPBS has been doing some good reporting on the in-home supportive services cuts that are a result of the latest round of budget cuts. Today they have a report on one family, and the questions they now face after these cuts.
And things are about to get worse. With Governor Schwarzenegger’s $270 million cut to In Home Supportive Services, Nicanora will lose all the money she receives to take care of her mother and sister.
“What will happen to them? They will rot. They will smell and they will not be able to eat properly. Who’s going to help them clean the house? Who’s going to help them bathe? That will be very difficult. With this situation, I’m already financially burdened and if that is removed, what will happen? What will I do?” (KPBS 9/29/09)
But IHSS is racked with fraud, or so we are told over and over again. The evidence, once you actually go looking for hard facts, is lacking for that charge.
Lee Collins is director of the San Luis Obispo County Department of Social Services.
“I have no doubt that there is some fraud in every program including the In Home Supportive services but there is nothing to suggest that this program compared to any other program is particularly ripe for fraudulent intent. In the absence of data, it’s simply trumpeting at a ghost.”
Collins accused state officials of making cuts on dishonest grounds. (KPBS 9/28/09)
But, maybe Arnold will go ’round to each of these people’s homes and change their sheets and clean up after them. I mean, he is the Last Action Hero, isn’t he?
Somehow, cutting services, but justifying $10 Million to “investigate fraud” doesn't sound all that logical to me, doesn't sound cost effective.
I suppose I am cynical, but the object of government is more about maintaining and increasing itself than actually doing the work it is supposed to do, seeing to the actual welfare of those it is supposed to serve.
So, ten million put to new salaries and new positions as investigators so that those let go as state workers who provides and determine services to become workers in refusing services sounds like the way self-justifying government operates.