HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 09161997 - D1 D.1
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
DATE: September 16, 1997 MATTER OF RECORD
SUBJECT: Public Comment
Sary Tatpaporn, Asian Family Resource Center, 1340 Bush Avenue, San Pablo, spoke
on the issues of Welfare Reform and the impacts of reduced food stamp
benefits for some legal immigrants. Mr. Tatpaporn also submitted a letter
(Attached) on behalf of an ad hoc coalition of concerned community groups
regarding the impacts of Welfare Reform on their communities.
Torm Nompraseurt, Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN), Loatian
Organizing Project (LOP), 2401 B. Macdonald Avenue, Richmond, addressed
the issue of Welfare Reform and the impacts of reduced food stamp benefits
for some legal immigrants and their children.
Kham Vilaikham, 5215 Berlingame Avenue, Richmond, stated that she is a legal
immigrant and voiced her concerns about the impacts of Welfare Reform.
Renee Saucedo, Executive Director, Northern California Coalition for Immigrant
Rights, 995 Market Street, Suite 1108, San Francisco, made the following
requests relative to the impacts of Welfare Reform: requested the full
reinstatement of a food stamp program at the County level; requested that the
County provide prenatal care free of charge; requested that County medical
facilities remain open to all immigrants and adopt/a policy of don't ask/don't
tell regarding the illegal immigrant status of some patients; and requested that
the County conduct official outreach to immigrant communities in order to
facilitate the provision of County services.
Supervisor DeSaulnier requested that the Social Services Director and the Health
Services Director respond to the attached letter from the ad hoc coalition of
concerned community groups. Supervisor DeSaulnier further requested that the
Social Services and Health Services departments assign staff to assist the coalition
in remaining informed about the issues.
Several Board members recommended further direction which was not acted upon by
the Board.
THIS IS A MATTER FOR RECORD PURPOSES ONLY
NO BOARD ACTION TAKEN
cw
cc: Supervisors
County Administrator
Social Services Director
Health Services Director
Pob5ibk 1). 1
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
CLERK OF THE BOARD
TO: Mark DeSaulnier, Chair DATE: September 11, 1997
Supervisor Jim Robers
Supervisor Gayle B. Uilkema
Supervisor Donna Gerber
Supervisor Joe Canciamilla
FROM: Jeanne Maglio, Chief Clerk
SUBJECT: Presentation at the September 16, 1997,
Board Meeting on Welfare Reform
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I have been advised by Joe Goglio that a presentation will be
made under the Public Comment section of the September 16 Board
Agenda by some members of the Ad Hoc Coalition on Immigrant
Concerns expressing opposition to the anti-immigrant provisions
of Welfare Reform. The emphasis of their presentation will be
the denial of food stamps and prenatal care to legal adult
immigrants.
A copy of their Coalition's letter on the scope of this concern
is attached.
jm
Attach.
cc: Phil Batchelor, County Administrator
John Cullen, Director, Social Service Dept.
POSSI
Supervisor Mark DeSaulnier, Chairman, Contra Costa County Baord of Supervisors
2425 Bisso Lane, Ste. 110
Concord, CA 94520 RECEIVED
September 11, 1997 11997
Dear Supervisor DeSaulnier-
CLERK BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
CONTRA COSTA CO.
We, the undersigned members of an ad hoc coalition of concerned community groups, request
your attention and support on a matter of urgency to the diverse immigrant community
throughout Contra Costa County. Representatives of our group and concerned community
members plan to attend next Tuesday's board meeting and make a brief presentation under the
Public Comments item of your agenda.
Anti-immigrant previsions of Welfare Reform passed by the federal government and more
recently the state government had, and continue to have, a serious impact on our community. The
provisions that most concern us are the denial of food stamps and prenatal care to legal adult
immigrants. We have protested against these provisions in the past and maintain our opposition to
them, hoping that they can be corrected by more enlightened legislation. Our concern, as we
address you, is for the immediate needs created by these laws..
The particular problems posed by the food stamp cutoff are reported in the attached article from a
recent edition of the West County Times.
While the dimensions of these problems are unclear(we believe the needs are underreported) we
feel that there is an immediate and urgent need created by the cutoff of eligibility of foodstamps
and prenatal care which will have public health consequences for the county to add to the
hardships to low income families and individuals.
We ask you to direct appropriate staff to work with community representatives to identify short
term and long term solutions to this need imposed by Washington and Sacramento on our
community. We ask this be done as soon as possible.
We are aware of and respect that you have many issues to resolve at any given time.
Nevertheless, considering the immediacy of the need, we request you give attention and action to
devise relief for these families in need.
If your need to contact us prior to the Board meeting, our designees for this purpose are Sary
Tatpaporn at 23 5-993 8 and Barbara Racek at 234-5110.
Respectfully,
Barbara Racek Sary Tatpaporn Maria Elena Meunier
Joe Goglio Torm Nompraseurt Yang Xiong
Ludon Lee Jenny Ocon
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