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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 01221991 - 2.3 {r _ �3CO TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Contra. FROM: r. Costa JAMES A. RYDINGSWORD, SOCIAL SERVICES DIRECTOR or ��. �3 Co,,J 'r County DATE: JANUARY 22, 19 91 sualECT; GENERAL ASSISTANCE FOOD AND TRANSPORTATION ALLOWANCES k SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)6 BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATIONS 1 . Based '; on the information below, that the Board of Supervisors establish the following monthly allowances for food effective February 1, 1991: Household size Allowance one $ 99 two $182 three $260 four . $331 five $393 six $472 seven $521 eight $596 ` nine $671 ten $746 2. Based on the information below, that the Boardof Supervisors maintain the current General Assistance allowance for transportation. BACKGROUND I . GENERAL ASSISTANCE FOOD ALLOWANCE s A. Prcmisos CIO CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATU • 4 - — I RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION O BOA p MMI E APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S): ACTION OF BOARD ON Tu a ry 22 , 7,31 1 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER wµ VOTE OF SUPERVISORS 1 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE X UNANIMOUS(ASSENT — AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AYES: NOES: ' AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. CC: Director , Social Service Dept. ATTESTED "January 22 , 1991 County Administrator PHIL BATCHELOR,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR M382 (10/88) BY ,DEPUTY d,: A reasonable monthly allowance which is sufficient to purchase a nutritionally adequate diet, without regard to the availability of the Food Stamp Program to increase food purchasing power, should be provided to all General Assistance recipients. B. Derivation.. of._a...re s.onable. allowance Tho United States Department of Agriculture prepares statistical data on the cost of several nutritionally adequate c3iotn. Tho least costly of these is the basis for the benefits established by the USDA for the Food Stamp program. A table of graduated allowances provides for the actual monthly cost of any given number of persons comprising a single household to purchase an adequate and nutritionally sound diet. In order to avoid the unnecessary duplication of effort that would be required in the development of a minimum standard for a nutritionally adequate diet, the Social Service Department,. in 1978, recommended the use of the USDA Thrifty Food Plan allowance as the method for establishing the General Assistance food allowance. This recommendation was adopted by the Board of Supervisors in Resolution No. 79/88, as amended by Resolution No. 791446, which established the General Assistance grant levels effective February 1, 2979. The Thrifty Food Plan is revised by USDA annually, effective October 1st. In each year, for more than ten years, the Thrifty Food Plan amounts recommended by the Social Service Department for adoption by the Board of Supervisors have not been current Thrifty Food Plan amounts by the time the General Assistance food allowance changes became effective. The Social Service Department is not aware of any evidence showing that this practice has led to the food needssof General Assistance recipients not being met. The current General Assistance food allowance of $90, established November 1, 1989, reflects the Thrifty Food Plan established October 1 , 1988: The Social Service Department recommends that the food allowance be based on the Thrifty Food Plan figures for 1989-90. This amounts to an ' increase in the food allowance for one person from $90 per month to $99 per month. II. GENERAL ASSISTANCE TRANSPORTATION ALLOWANCE A. Premises The General Assistance allowance should include an allowance for essential local transportation. B. Derivation of a Reasonable Allowance for Local Transportation Public bus transportation is available in the County. One round trip a week is adequate to meet the minimum need for essential local transportation. A survey in 1989 established the allowance of $8 by multiplying the average number of weeks in a month ( 4.3) by the cost of one local round trip by bus per week. A survey conducted in January, 2991 shows the current local round trip bus fares to be: AC Transit: $2. County Connection: $1. 20 Tri-Delta: $2.20 The average fare is $1.50; this is actually less than the average used in establishing . the current allowance of $9. Use of the most expensive fare -- $2 - - times 4.3 = $8. 60, supports the current allowance of $9. The Social Service Department is not aware of any evidence showing that the transportation needs of General Assistance recipients are not being met. The Social Service Department recommends that the Board maintain the current General Assistance allowance for transportation. a 2. 3 (b) THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA Adopted this Order on January 22, 1991 by the following vote: AYES: Supervisors Fanden, Schroder, McPeak, Torlakson, Powers NOES: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None ------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------- SUBJECT: General Assistance Grant Levels During the Board' s consideration of the report of the Director, Social Service Department, on "General Assistance Food and Transportation Allowances, ` Phil Bertenthal, Contra Costa Legal Services Foundation, expressed disagreement with the methodology used in establishing food and transportation allowances for General Assistance recipients. He presented documentation representing his position. IT IS BY THE BOARD ORDERED that the documents submitted by Mr. Bertenthal are REFERRED to County Counsel and the Social Services Director for report to the Board on February 26, 1991. 1 hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supe isors on the date shown. ATTESTED: 2'Z, / y F cc: County Counsel PHIL ATCHELOA,eerk of the Board Social Services Director of Supervisors and County Administrator County Administrator Bye ,oeputy i i