HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 09171996 - C77 C.77, C.78, C.79, and C. 80
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
Adopted this Order on September 17,1996, by the following vote:
AYES: Supervisors Rogers, Bishop, DeSaulnier, Torlakson and Smith
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
SUBJECT: Correspondence
C.77 LETTER dated August 21, 1996, from Bill Clinton, President of the
United States, The White House, Washington, D.C., commenting on his
decision to sign the Welfare Reform Bill and his concerns with certain
provisions of the legislation he is determined to fix.
**** REFERRED TO SOCIAL SERVICES DIRECTOR
C.78 LETTER dated August 30, 1996, from Al Prince, President, Board of
Directors, Los Medanos Community Hospital District, 2311 Loveridge
Road, Pittsburg, CA 94565, regarding a proposal by Contra Costa County
to lease the first floor of the Los Medanos Community Hospital.
""REFERRED**REFERRED TO HEALTH SERVICES DIRECTOR AND
GENERAL SERVICES DIRECTOR
C.79 LETTER dated August 30, 1996, from Gary Freschi, Administrator, West
Contra Costa Unified School District, 1108 Bissell Avenue, Richmond,
CA 94801-3135, advising that the City of Richmond has applied for
Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA) status as provided by SB 1082
permitting the consolidation of several environmental regulatory programs
with one CUPA, and of administrative difficulties that could be incurred
by the school district having to deal with two CUPAs.
""REFERRED**REFERRED TO HEALTH SERVICES DIRECTOR AND
THE CITY OF RICHMOND
C.80 RESOLUTION 03-96 adopted by the Board of Fire Commissioners,
Orinda Fire Protection District, and RESOLUTION 96.4 adopted by the
Board of Commissioners, Moraga Fire Protection Districts into a single
district called the Moraga-Orinda Fire Protection District.
""REFERRED**REFERRED TO COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND LOCAL
AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION (LAFCO)
IT IS BY THE BOARD ORDERED that the recommendations as
noted (****) are approved.
c,c. County Administrator
Social Services Director 1 hereby certify that this is a true and correctcopy of
Health Services Director an action take and entered on the minutes of the
General Services Director Board Of Sup iS0 s on t P dat shown.
The City of Richmond ATTESTED: 7 �Q[
PHIL
BATCHELOR,Clerk of the Board
LAFCO of Supervisors and C unty Administrator
Correspondents
BY t Deputy
THE WHITE HOUSE
���ERVlSOFtS
WASHINGTONA C05TA CO.
August 21, 1996
Mr. Jeff Smith
Chair
Board of Supervisors
Room 106
651 Pine Street
Martinez, California 94553-1293
Dear Jeff :
Thank you for sharing your concerns about the welfare bill .
As you know, this was a very difficult decision. Few social
challenges are more daunting than welfare, and we must all admit
to a certain level of humility as we move forward.
As I said when I announced my decision to sign this
legislation, itis far from perfect and includes some provisions
I deplore and am determined to fix. For example, the bill cuts
deeper than it should into nutritional assistance, especially for
working families with children. I am also deeply disappointed
that the Republican leadership insisted on using welfare reform
to cut off assistance to legal immigrants . That was wrong. Legal
immigrants work hard, pay taxes, and serve America, and they
shouldn' t be singled out for punishment just because they are
immigrants . I am committed to working with Congress to correct
these provisions, which never could have passed on their own.
One of my most serious concerns about the initial welfare
bills that I vetoed was whether the states would receive adequate
funding to implement the new program and be protected from
unexpected cost increases . The changes to the bill that I pressed
for -- and obtained --' I believe, help to address these concerns .
The annual grant to the states will reflect the highest level of
annual spending they have received in the previous three years .
States will also be allowed to carry over unused grant funds to
subsequent years .
Because of the strength of our national economy and the
success of state welfare reform experiments around the country,
welfare rolls have been shrinking. However, states will be
receiving funding based on years in which they had more welfare
recipients than they presently do. The welfare legislation also:
o creates a $2 billion contingency fund for states
experiencing economic downturns and a growing number
of children in need;
2
o provides $1 billion for performance bonuses to reward
states for placing and keeping welfare recipients in
jobs;
o requires states to maintain their AFDC and JOBS program
spending at a rate of at least 80 percent of their
historical spending; and
o gives states the option to use Title XX Social Services
Block Grant money for vouchers for children whose
parents reach the time limit for receiving assistance
under the bill .
On balance, I decided to sign the welfare bill because I
believe it represents our last, best chance to reform the current
system, which is fundamentally broken and hurts the very people it
was designed to help. Millions of women and children deserve a
chance at independence, instead of remaining trapped forever in the
existing system. We must do everything in our power to help people
move from welfare to work and to give them health care and child
care so they can succeed at work and at home . We must make sure
children are protected. We must demand responsibility from absent
parents, especially fathers, so they can no longer walk away from
paying the child support they owe their children.
Although you do not agree with my decision, I hope you will
take consolation in the great progress we were able to make
together during this long debate . The Congressional leadership
wanted to eliminate the guarantee of health care for the poor, the
elderly, and the disabled -- and with your help, we stopped them.
The Congressional leadership wanted to destroy the food stamp and
school lunch programs that provide basic nutrition to millions of
working families and poor children -- and with your help, we
stopped them. The Congressional leadership wanted to gut child
abuse prevention programs and foster care and cut off all aid to
young unwed mothers -- and with your help, we stopped them.
Now we have a common challenge : to make sure states that
sought this responsibility now shoulder it . The business community
has a responsibility to help make sure people leaving welfare can
find jobs . Most important, we must all work to ensure that this
bill lifts people up and does not become an excuse for ignoring
women and children who need help.
Thank you again for sharing your views on this complex
problem. I know you care very deeply about this issue . As we
work to see that our efforts to reform welfare succeed in helping
less fortunate Americans achieve a better life, I encourage your
continued involvement .
Sincerely,