HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 03161993 - 1.67 PETE WILSON' � e anb Building Standard(Commission
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February 19, 1993 RECEIVED FE B 2 6 1993
Honorable Thomas Toriakson CE ®
Chair, Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors AR 0 5 1993
300 East Leland Avenue, Suite 100
Pittsburg, CA 94565 CLERK BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
CONTRA COSTA
Dear Supervisor Toriakson:
California is home to 60 percent of the nation's immigrants, 40 percent of the nation's
refugees, and 50 percent of the nation's undocumented immigrants. It's difficult to read
a newspaper anymore without being overwhelmed with evidence of how California's ever-
increasing immigrant population--both legal and undocumented--has stretched our
continually shrinking financial resources beyond the breaking point. As we work to make
sure our state welcomes with open arms all who wish to live here, we cannot become a
state that pushes our newcomers even more deeply into poverty or farther into the
underground economy.
As a County Supervisor, you are faced every day with incredibly tough--and often
impossible--choices to make in your struggle to continue to provide the necessary
services to your county's residents while keeping up with those services the federal
government has mandated on you.
This week, Governor Wilson went to Washington D.C. to spearhead the effort to ensure
that the federal government reimburses states and localities for the cost of services
mandated by federal government. He is working with his fellow governors across the
United States to join together in urging the President to support this cause.
I am writing you now to tell you how you can help in the effort to make the federal
government honor its promise and responsibility to our state--and your county--for
carrying their fair share of the cost burden caused by documented and undocumented
immigrants.
GC C►"d
February 19, 1993
Page two
PLEASE HAVE YOUR BOARD MEMBERS JOIN YOU IN A RESOLUTION CALLING UPON
PRESIDENT CLINTON AND THE CONGRESS TO HONOR THEIR PARTNERSHIP AND
PROMISE TO THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA BY APPROPRIATING SUFFICIENT FEDERAL
FUNDING TO REIMBURSE STATES AND LOCALITIES FOR THE COST OF SERVICES
MANDATED BY FEDERAL LAW.
Your Board resolution can have significant impact, particularly since our new President
was himself a strong advocate for relieving the states from federal mandates when he
served as Governor of Arkansas.
This is a subject that is near and dear to my heart -- as one who stood with you just a few
short months ago as a Sacramento County Supervisor, I know what you're going
through. Let's work together on this one to make sure that our state and counties are
not being forced to take more than their fair share of the financial hit in these tough times.
My deputy will be following up with you shortly to see if there's anything we can do to
assist you. If you can help actively in this effort, I invite you to call me at 916/653-4090.
And if your Board enacts a resolution on this issue, I hope you will send me a copy at
your earliest convenience.
Sincerely,
SANDRA R. S LEY
Secretary