Last year the Governor proposed, and the legislature passed, a three-year, 10% per year increase in the basic public assistance grant. The grant had not been raised since 1990, so this multi-year increase only begins to make up ground lost over 18 years. This year the Governor proposes cutting the increase in half.

Ethical affirmations we affirm together:
• Jesus’ inaugural sermon in Luke’s Gospel challenges us today:  “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:18-20a,21)
• Every human being has dignity and worth by their very personhood.
• The common good needs to be considered in all deliberations and policy decisions.
• Providing for basic human needs benefits all of society.
• The New York State Constitution states: The aid, care and support of the needy are public concerns and shall be provided by the state and by such of its subdivisions, and in such manner and by such means, as the legislature may from time to time determine. (Article XVII, Section 1)

The Governor is proposing:
• Cutting approximately $130 million in funding from more than 30 separate programs which provide job training, youth services, alternatives to incarceration, supportive housing, refugee resettlement, home visiting, child care and more. These programs had been funded by federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) surplus funds. These surplus funds had accrued as public assistance rolls declined following welfare reform. A substantial portion of these funds will be redirected back to support increasing public assistance costs due to rising enrollments and higher benefits – used to pay for all federal, state and local TANF cash assistance costs.
• Cutting in half, from 10% to 5%, the second year phase-in of the basic welfare grant.

Why this makes no sense:
• The cut in the grant increase would save New York only $18 million, a paltry sum in budget terms. Yet a family of three would receive an extra 50 cents a day rather than the scheduled $1 a day hike. This may seem small, but makes a difference in poverty, when every penny counts.
• New York State expects to draw down an extra $638 million in federal welfare dollars under the economic stimulus package. 
• New York State receives an annual block grant of $2.442 billion from the federal government (based on 1994 caseloads) but the federal share of the cost of basic assistance is less than $650 million in 2009-2010, giving a surplus of nearly $1.8 million. Although basic assistance is expected to rise in 2010 and more dramatically in 2011, the TANF surplus will still be well over $1 billion in each of these years.

ACTIONS:
• Publicize the harm to people in poverty being proposed.
• Contact your State Senator and State Assemblymember.
• Encourage others to do the same.

CLICK THE LINKS BELOW TO  LOCATE YOUR

NEW YORK STATE SENATOR 

NEW YORK STATE MEMBER OF THE ASSEMBLY
 

HERE IS A SAMPLE LETTER

(please write in your own words as much as possible)

Dear Senator/Assemblymember ___________:

I am a member of _____________________ Church in __________________ and reside in your district. I ask you to oppose Governor Paterson’s proposals to close New York’s budget deficit by hurting the poor. There are better ways.
An example is the Governor's proposed use of surplus Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funding.  He proposes to cut approximately $130 million in funding from more than 30 separate programs which provide job training, youth services, alternatives to incarceration, supportive housing, refugee resettlement, home visiting and child care in order to put this money toward the basic grant which he is also proposing to cut from 10% to 5% the second year phase-in of the basic welfare grant.

[option: indicate people your congregation is serving who would be affected by these cuts and what hardships would ensue for them]

Cutting self-sufficiency programs does not seem like a wise thing to do when New York State expects to draw down an extra $638 million in federal welfare dollars under the economic stimulus package. In addition, New York State receives an annual block grant of $2.442 billion from the federal government of which nearly $1.8 million is a surplus. Although basic assistance is expected to rise in 2010 and more dramatically in 2011, the TANF surplus will still be well over $1 billion in each of these years.  Why cut off opportunity for people living in poverty?
My faith teaches me that every human being has dignity and worth by their very personhood.  Common sense tells me that providing for basic human needs benefits all of society, especially regarding economic health, public health, and public safety.

I urge you to remember New Yorkers struggling to make ends meet as you deliberate the budget. Please oppose Governor Paterson’s proposed cuts.  These are hard times; please don’t make them harder for those hit the hardest.

Sincerely,