More than 476,000 low-income seniors and people with disabilities who depend on state-funded in-home care would be forced to do without or try to find other aid if Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s proposed budget makes it into law, says a new report from the California Budget Project.

Its analysis of Mr. Schwarzenegger's plan to severely restrict eligibility for In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) and potentially eliminate the program shows that in the Central Valley tens of thousands of the disabled would be affected.

By county the estimated number of elderly and disabled impacted if IHSS were eliminated:

• Butte, 3,310

• Fresno, 13,160

• Kern, 4,760

• Kings, 1,640

• Madera, 1,680

• Merced, 3,270

• Sacramento, 22,720

• San Joaquin, 7,260

• Stanislaus, 6,610

• Tulare, 2,690

• Yolo, 2,050

• Yuba, 730

The IHSS program helps low-income seniors and people with disabilities live safely in their own homes. Supporters say it prevents more costly out-of-home care. IHSS will provide services to more than 476,000 Californians in 2010-11 absent the Governor's proposed reductions.

The fact sheets provide estimates, by county and legislative district, of the number of IHSS recipients who would lose services and the total loss of funds under each of the Governor's proposals.

Public urged to attend salt water workshops

The Central Valley Salinity Coalition is hosting two public workshops on Monday and Tuesday to present ideas and get public input on solutions to the region's water problems as they relate to salinity and nitrates.

The issue not only impacts agriculture, but businesses, municipalities, homes and the local economy as a whole.

The workshops are scheduled for:

• Woodland: 9 a.m. to noon, Monday, April 26, at the Yolo County Farm Bureau, 69 West Kentucky Ave., Woodland

• In Tulare: 9 a.m. to noon, Tuesday, April 27, at the Tulare AgTac, 4175 South Laspina St., Tulare.

Quality water in the Central Valley is becoming increasingly scarce and impacted due to elevated concentrations of salinity and nitrates. Too much salinity, or salt, and nitrates in the water threatens food production, the local economy, drinking water quality, public health and the environment.

Going, going, almost gone!

If you’re looking to buy old state-owned equopment, today is the day to do it.

The California Department of General Services will hold a live auction of state surplus property – stuff from old computers to old cars – beginning at 10 a.m. at the National Drive Warehouse, 1700 National Drive, in Sacramento.

Attendees must register on-site for the auctions during the preview period from 8:00 a.m. until 9:45 p.m.

Warehouse items include 671 lots of cameras, cell phones, general office equipment, computers, monitors, printers, laptops, projectors, office furniture and other items. The vehicle auction offers 161 late-and-early model cars and trucks.

Earlier this month the Department of General Services raised $747,000 in an auction of nearly 400 state surplus vehicles. Vehicles are also sold through on-going, online vehicle auctions as well as monthly live auctions usually held in Davis.

Smart meters to get new grilling

The California Senate Select Committee on the Smart Grid plans a hearing in Sacramento Monday on the controversial “smart meters” that Pacific Gas and Electric Co. is installing on its customers.

The accuracy of the “smart meters” has been called into question, starting with Bakersfield residents who complained of skyrocketing power bills as soon as the new meters were installed.

Senate Majority Leader Dean Florez, D-Shafter, will lead the hearing investigating a recent revelation that some utility customers were getting “estimated” bills due to a “smart meter” defect. The panel will look into the cost to customers from this practice.

Last week PG&E reattached old meters alongside digital “smart meters” on about 150 homes in Kern County to compare the energy usage reported.

Mr. Florez has been holding public hearings on “smart meter” installation since reports of skyrocketing bills flooded the Central Valley last year.

“As much as I believe PG&E customers will not have confidence in their utility until they hear solid answers from the top, we won’t be deterred from asking the hard questions and getting to the bottom of this debacle,” says Mr. Florez. “As long as these meters continue to be bolted to homes without test results that say they are accurate, I will continue to fight to give consumers a voice in this process.”

California gets more than $2 Billion in offers for state buildings

It seems a lot of people want their very own state building.

The state of California has received more than 300 offers totaling over $2 billion for buildings it put up for sale, the Department of General Services says.

Eleven state office buildings are on the block as the state tries to come up with money to plug a nearly $20 billion budget gap.

Multiple bids were received for the entire portfolio after CB Richard Ellis placed the properties on the market in late February, which generated worldwide interest from numerous buyers.

Once sold, the state will rent space in the same buildings it once owned.

Comments on this story

Earl Richards 4/24/10 3:42 AM
Chevron gouged $24 billions in excessive profits in 2008, as per www.tyrannyofoil.com. Schwarzenegger should put an excessive profits tax on these profits, instead of protecting the oil corporations from fair taxation, then, there would be sufficient public funds for all the vulnerable, people programs. Big business lost the fight to eliminate domestic violence funding, so now they are coming back with a vengeance. There is no funding provision for battered women shelters in the proposed budget . Schwarzee picks on the most vulnerable, and not on corporate "deadbeats."