[Northampton-GP] stop Romey's budget cuts

[NeilESL at aol.com]

Governor Romney's Budget Cuts Would Be 

Devastating to Working Families 

and are Not Necessary 

 

Governor Romney's budget cutting proposal, released yesterday, slashes 
programs that are essential to working families in Massachusetts. For 
example: 

Health: The Governor proposes freezing enrollment in the Mass Health program 
for working families with incomes above $24,000 a year for a family of four, 
leaving these families without any health insurance. In addition, he proposes 
cutting the prescription drug program for seniors, AIDS prevention and 
treatment, mental health, and a number of important public health programs.

Welfare: The Governor's proposal eliminates funding for the Employment 
Services Program, which allows welfare recipients to obtain they skills 
training they need in order to secure good jobs at wages that will enable 
them to support their families. 

Housing: The Governor proposes cutting $7.5 million from the Affordable 
Housing Trust Fund. This cut will only aggravate and prolong our state's 
affordable housing crisis, among the worst in the nation. 

Early Literacy: The Governor proposes cutting $12 million from a program to 
help the young children of working families improve their reading skills.

School Breakfasts: The Governor proposes eliminating the state's school 
breakfast program. 

None of these cuts is necessary. The Legislature should reject all of these 
cuts and instead should draw or borrow from the state's reserve funds until a 
progressive tax package is enacted later this year to solve the state's 
structural deficit. Call your State Representative and State Senator and urge 
them to reject the Governor's budget-cutting proposals. They are expected to 
act on the governor's proprosal early this week. 

 

Contact your legislator through this website <A HREF="http://www.state.ma.us/legis/memmenus.htm">
http://www.state.ma.us/legis/memmenus.htm</A>

and <A HREF="http://www.state.ma.us/legis/memmenuh.htm">http://www.state.ma.us/legis/memmenuh.htm</A>
 
 
Sample Letter for your senator and representative: 
 
Dear               : 
The cuts the governor proposed last week fall on the backs of working 
people. 

The health care cuts would leave families of four or more with annual 
salaries of $24,000 or above without any health insurance. In addition, the 
governor 
proposes cutting the prescription drug program for seniors, AIDS 
prevention and treatment, mental health, and a number of important public 
health programs.

His proposal eliminates funding for the Employment Services Program, which 
allows welfare recipients to obtain they skills training they need in 
order to secure good jobs at wages that will enable them to support their 
families. 

He proposes cutting $7.5 million from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. 
This cut will only aggravate and prolong our state's affordable housing 
crisis, among the worst in the nation. 

He proposes cutting $12 million from a early literacy program to help the 
young children of working families improve their reading skills.

He propose eliminating the state's school breakfast program. 

None of these cuts is necessary.  These cuts should be rejected, and the 
state instead should draw or borrow from the state's reserve funds until a 
progressive tax package is enacted later this year to solve the state's 
structural deficit.   

Sincerely,



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