By Linda MacKay
A sign posted on the door of the Mountain Communities Family Resource Center (FRC) this week says, "Attention Community Members: The State of California is proposing to take away Proposition 10 funds to balance the state budget. This will close the Family Resource Center doors."
About 95 percent of the funding for the FRC currently comes from Proposition 10 funds. Governor Jerry Brown is proposing to use these cigarette tax funds to help balance the state budget. The intent of Prop. 10 funding (passed by the voters in November 1998) is to help provide services to families of children five years old and younger.
These "First 5 Kern funds" kept the doors open to provide numerous programs to the entire Mountain Community, including a local place for: Kern County Department of Human Services; Greater Bakersfield Legal Assistance; Access to Senator Ashburn’s staff’; Access to Congressman McCarthy’s field representative; Aging and Adult Services; Utility assistance programs; Healthy Families/MediCal insurance application assistance; Food stamp application assistance; Parenting classes; Dental, immunization and vision programs; Animal Control; Child car seat safety programs; Prescription assistance; Bus passes to doctors’ appointments; Community computer for job searches; Resume assistance; Mommy & Me; Child development programs; Toys for Tots; Community Food Bank; Smoking cessation classes; A community room for AA & NA meetings; Tutoring programs; Single parent program; and Volunteer opportunities.
If the money is directed toward other things, these community services will be lost.
The sign posted on the door also says, "if you choose to contact state representatives [by mail or phone] to let them know how this will affect you and your children," use this information:
Governor Jerry Brown
State Capitol, Suite 1173 Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 445-2841
(916) 558-3160 fax
Assemblywoman Shannon Grove, 32nd District
State Capitol, Room 3098
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 319-2032 /319-2132 fax
Senator Jean Fuller, 18th Dist.
State Capitol, Room 3063
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 651-4018 / 322-3304 fax
This is part of the April 08, 2011 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.
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