Schwarzenegger aims to cut welfare (would put tens of thousands of children at risk of homelessness) [View All]

[Kadie]

Schwarzenegger aims to cut welfare
Tom Chorneau, Chronicle Sacramento Bureau

Sunday, January 7, 2007

(01-07) 19:34 PST Sacramento -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger wants to cut almost $500 million from welfare programs next year and impose new rules aimed at pushing recipients off public assistance and into the workforce, senior administration officials said Sunday.

The Republican governor, who proclaimed during his second inaugural speech Friday that he would lead California into an era free of partisan politics, will propose in his state budget to eliminate a cost of living increase for welfare grants next year -- a proposal that has in the past drawn an almost automatic rebuke from the Legislature's Democratic majority.

He also wants to end the practice of providing welfare grants to children whose parents are chronically unemployed and failing to participate in return to work programs.

The administration said the two ideas would save the state $465 million next year.

Critics say the proposal would put tens of thousands of children at risk of homelessness. They call the ideas a poor first step in Schwarzenegger's new bipartisan agenda.

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http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/01/08/CALBUDGET.TMP