SENIOR LEGISLATURE'S LACEY STATES CASE FOR OLDER RESIDENTS.Byline: Bettie Rencoret Senior columnist Most people don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. anything about the California Senior Legislature, said Thomas Lacey, one the group's two senior assemblymen from this area. ``If we're going to continue to make a difference for the senior community, we're going to have to make people aware that we're out there,'' he said. The lobbying organization, which represents approximately 3 million California senior citizens, is approved by, but should not be confused with, the state Legislature, which politically governs residents of all ages. Established in March 1980 by an Assembly concurrent resolution An action of Congress passed in the form of an enactment of one house, with the other house in agreement, which expresses the ideas of Congress on a particular subject. , the group was briefly called the Silver Haired Legislature. It came into being when the longevity of seniors increased by leaps and bounds and they felt the necessity to do something about matters that concerned them. From the outset they didn't like age discrimination or stereotyping and the Silver Haired Legislature name was dropped quickly. The California Senior Legislature is now a viable proponent of beneficial legislation for all senior citizens. Its sessions are patterned after those of the state Legislature. During the senior assemblies, bills affecting seasoned citizens are framed for presentation to state lawmakers. Lacey was sworn in in October 1998 as a Senior Assemblyman for north Los Angeles County. He'll serve the 5th Supervisorial District for the next two years. He said he intends to travel around the district, talking to seniors in each area, to determine special needs and set the tenor of legislation to be proposed during the next session in Sacramento. Lacey fanned several pages in his Assembly manual. ``You see all these? These are all the bills proposed last year,'' he said. ``Of these we chose the top 10 state priority proposals and the top four federal priorities which are in the hopper now.'' The top 10 issues concerned Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease (ăls`hī'mərz, ôls–), degenerative disease of nerve cells in the cerebral cortex that leads to atrophy of the brain and senile dementia. care resource centers; in-home supportive services; skilled nursing facilities staffing ratios; the unclaimed property fund; California Senior Legislature funding; uninterrupted funding for ongoing services of area agencies on aging; elder abuse Elder Abuse Definition Elder abuse is a general term used to describe harmful acts toward an elderly adult, such as physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional or psychological abuse, financial exploitation, and neglect, including self-neglect. prevention and intervention; the state long-term care long-term care (LTC), n the provision of medical, social, and personal care services on a recurring or continuing basis to persons with chronic physical or mental disorders. ombudsman; the Home-Delivered Meals Act; and elder abuse nursing home code violation revenues. The federal top four were Medicare coverage of prescription drugs; preservation of the Social Security retirement age; Medicare coverage for dental care; and reauthorization of the 1965 Federal Older Americans Act. ``Right now,'' he said, ``we're pushing the seniors' property tax refund Tax refund Money back from the government when too much tax has been paid or withheld from a salary. .'' Seniors who got a form in the mail to fill out and don't know how to complete it can get help at either the Antelope Valley or Palmdale senior centers. People should call in advance to get an appointment with Jim Harris, who provides tax help at both centers. A copy of the latest tax bill and proof of income as qualifying criteria will be needed, Lacey said. ``Harris is authorized to verify all the information on the form and sign it. That speeds up the process. It could amount to a refund of a few hundred dollars,'' he said. ``I've got mine back already,'' he said. ``I'm getting back 48 percent.'' A personal top priority that is not on the formal legislative list, said Lacey, is the proposed Lancaster Veterans Home. ``I want to keep that uppermost in the minds of our Sacramento representatives,'' he said. ``As an adjunct to the home, which will be built out on 30th St. West and Avenue I, probably in 1-1/2 years,'' he said, ``I'd like to see them earmark earmark taking a piece out of the edge or center of the ear with a punch as an identification mark. The shape of the mark may be registerable under local legislation. the property to the north and west of there for a new veterans cemetery. We really need one up here.'' Lacey is no stranger to the political scene. His last race was for a seat on the Antelope Valley Hospital Board of Directors. ``I've been a candidate for office eight times and I lost each time,'' he said, laughing. ``But at least I can say that I got more votes for the hospital board than all of the City Council members combined wound up with after their election.'' Lacey was born and raised in Chicago, and graduated from Hyde Park High School Hyde Park High School may refer to:
Right out of high school, Lacey entered the Army and served in communications for the Army Security Agency. He saw duty in Europe at the end of World War II End of World War II can refer to:
(1944–45, 1946–49). Two-stage conflict during which Greek communists unsuccessfully tried to gain control of Greece. The two principal Greek guerrilla forces that had resisted Nazi Germany's occupation—the communist-controlled National of 1949, then went to Korea for 18 months. He was a staff sergeant when he was released, in 1955, after 10 years. In civilian life, he worked in operations for North American Aviation North American Aviation was a major US aircraft manufacturer. The company was responsible for a number of historic aircraft, including the T-6 Texan trainer, the P-51 Mustang fighter, the B-25 Mitchell bomber, the F-86 Sabre jet fighter, and the X-15 rocket plane, as well as Apollo (later Rockwell, now Boeing) for 28 years before he retired out of Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale in 1989. Since then he has concentrated on community activism. He is a past president of the Lancaster Senior Center Advisory Board; a board member of the Lancaster Public Safety Committee; is Region 1 captain of the Neighborhood Watch; and is a member of the Lancaster Mobile Home Park Arbitration Board. Seniors wanting to discuss any issues with him can call him at (661) 942-5783. ``Just keep in mind that I'm a senior citizen too and when the sun goes down, so do my eyelids eyelids, n.pl a moveable fold of thin skin over the eye. The orbicularis oculi muscle and the oculomotor nerve control the opening and closing of the eyelid. ,'' he said. Menus for the week at the senior life nutrition sites in Lancaster, Palmdale and Pearblossom have been announced. All meals include bread, margarine and coffee, tea or milk for the suggested donation of $2. Monday: Hot turkey sandwich, mashed potatoes, parsleyed carrots, marinated beets, apple. Tuesday: Baked fish fillet, parsleyed noodles, stewed stewed adj. 1. Cooked by stewing: stewed prunes. 2. Informal Intoxicated; drunk. stewed Adjective 1. tomatoes, garden salad, pineapple chunks. Wednesday: Hamburger, macaroni salad, cauliflower and carrots, tomato/onion/lettuce salad, fruit. Thursday: Pinto beans w/ham, cornbread, broccoli, lettuce/tomato salad, lemon pudding. Friday: Creole chicken, au gratin potatoes, peas and carrots, fiesta coleslaw cole·slaw also cole slaw n. A salad of finely shredded raw cabbage and sometimes shredded carrots, dressed with mayonnaise or a vinaigrette. , apple brown Betty Apple Brown Betty is an American dessert that dates back to Colonial American time. A ‘betty’ is a baked pudding, made with layers of sweetened and spiced fruit and buttered bread crumbs. It is usually served with a lemon sauce and/or whipped cream. . CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO Thomas Lacey Pushing property tax refund |
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