Members of a coalition that supports the popular In Home Supportive Services (IHSS) homecare program have turned their focus toward legislative Democrats, many of whom supported cuts in the program last year.

In a letter to Democratic State Senators and Assemblymembers, coalition members urged them to:

   

…stand up to the governor, help reform our state’s broken revenue system, and  make decisions on IHSS based on its merits, not on sound bites used to disparage consumers and home care workers…It’s time for Democrats to be accountable and to act like Democrats.

The letter pointed out that 65 Democrats voted for significant cuts in IHSS in last July’s budget deliberations, while nearly two dozen endorsed the governor’s multi-million-dollar campaign to scapegoat IHSS consumers and caregivers as “fraud criminals.”

Interestingly, the letter was sent on Tuesday, January 5, the day before Schwarzenegger’s State of the State message and three days prior to his formal budget proposal.

   

We already know what the governor will say about IHSS…. Ever since he has been in office, he has targeted IHSS for cuts…. Trying to reason with him about IHSS is like pleading with the bear statue in front of his office….