REVISED BILL WOULD RAISE GRANTS TO ELDERLY, DISABLED.Byline: Dan Bernstein Scripps-McClatchy Western Service In a strategic retreat on welfare policy, Assembly Republicans forged forge 1 n. 1. A furnace or hearth where metals are heated or wrought; a smithy. 2. A workshop where pig iron is transformed into wrought iron. v. new legislation Thursday that would increase cash grants to elderly, blind and disabled people next year, while blocking similar raises for younger welfare recipients with children. The move was designed to increase chances of passing a bill to cut welfare benefits during a special session of the Legislature, but it drew protests from welfare advocates who said it was based on cruel political calculations. Gov. Pete Wilson For others named Pete Wilson, see . Peter Barton Wilson (born August 23, 1933) is an American Republican politician from California. Wilson served as the thirty-sixth Governor of California (1991–1999), the culmination of more than three decades in the public arena that had called a special session of the Legislature to get quick action blocking welfare and disability grant hikes that are scheduled to kick in later this year. Current law provides that some of the cuts enacted during the past few years lapse (language) LAPSE - A single assignment language for the Manchester dataflow machine. ["A Single Assignment Language for Data Flow Computing", J.R.W. Glauert, M.Sc Diss, Victoria U Manchester, 1978]. July 1 - resulting in increases of 5.8 percent or 8.1 percent, depending on the type of program. Wilson had sought to make those cuts permanent as a way to save $1.2 billion in his 1996-97 budget. He contends that California's welfare grant levels, which are among the highest in the nation, are discouraging dis·cour·age tr.v. dis·cour·aged, dis·cour·ag·ing, dis·cour·ag·es 1. To deprive of confidence, hope, or spirit. 2. To hamper by discouraging; deter. 3. many recipients from trying to find jobs. The legislation had been scheduled for a vote in the Assembly on Thursday. But some Republicans were said to be concerned about the political consequences of voting against the interests of aged, blind and disabled people receiving benefits under the Social Security Income/State Supplemental Payment program. On a party-line vote A party-line vote in a constituent assembly (such as a parliament or house of representatives) is a decision based upon political party affiliation, generally somewhat independent of the merits of the issue at hand or the political beliefs of individual members but instead dictated of 37-28, the Assembly voted to amend the bill to restore the SSI/SSP grant levels six months later than scheduled, with the caveat that those levels are still subject to budget deliberations. As the bill is now written, the grants for single people receiving SSI/SSP would increase from $626 to $663 on Jan. 1, 1997, while couples in the program would see their grants raised from $1,101 to $1,165. Approximately 1 million people are now eligible for the program. Increasing grant levels for SSI/SSP recipients Jan. 1 would cost the state about $220 million in 1996-97 more than under Wilson's proposal. Meanwhile, a family of three in the Aid to Families with Dependent Children Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) was the name of a federal assistance program in effect from 1935 to 1997,[1] which was administered by the United States Department of Health and Human Services. program would see their grant remain at $607 for the time being - rather than go up to $656 on July 1 as provided under current law. The scheduled increase reflects a restoration of a temporary 5.8 percent cut imposed in 1992, as well as several cost-of-living adjustments cost-of-living adjustment n. Abbr. COLA An adjustment made in wages that corresponds with a change in the cost of living. that were suspended sus·pend v. sus·pend·ed, sus·pend·ing, sus·pends v.tr. 1. To bar for a period from a privilege, office, or position, usually as a punishment: suspend a student from school. in the 1990s. The revised bill is expected to come up for a vote Monday. A spokeswoman for Wilson said the governor was disappointed with the Assembly's action. |
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