California Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed deep cuts to education, health care, and human services programs to close the state’s budget gap. These cuts would have a significant impact on California’s children and youth, particularly immigrant and low-income children and youth who rely on healthcare provided by the state. In addition, many of the proposed cuts would cause the state to lose substantial amounts of federal funding.

•Specifically, the Governor proposes to eliminate the Healthy Families Program, ending health coverage for more than 940,000 children.

•Although the California Legislature's joint budget committee rejected the Governor’s proposal, they instead voted to approve $70 million in cuts to the program's budget. Any budget cuts to Healthy Families would severely hurt low-income families and children.

•In addition, the state would lose nearly two dollars in federal funds for every dollar cut from the state budget.

•In San Francisco, if Healthy Families is eliminated, 12,190 estimated children would lose health coverage. San Francisco would also lose $13,641,000 in estimated state and federal funds.

•Due to the deteriorating economy, researchers expect a dramatic decline in health coverage from employers. Healthy Families is needed to offset this decrease, particularly for California’s children.

We, the undersigned, are concerned citizens and community members who urge our leaders to act now to:

1. •   Reject Any cuts to the Healthy Families Program   
   

2. •    Consider new revenue measures to address the state’s budget deficit, instead of cutting needed services