CA Senator’s staff interviews county/city officials on
recession
At a press conference in Culver City Dec. 17, U.S. Senator
Barbara Boxer (D-CA) released a report detailing the impact of the
nation’s recession on California’s counties and cities.
The report, which was based on interviews Boxer and her staff
had with officials in 20 cities and all 58 counties, paints a stark
picture of the economic strains felt across California. The
detailed analysis includes unemployment figures, home foreclosure
rates, budget deficits, and first-hand accounts of the impact of
the recession on social services and non-governmental, charitable
organizations.
CA Senator’s staff interviews county/city officials on recession
At a press conference in Culver City Dec. 17, U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) released a report detailing the impact of the nation’s recession on California’s counties and cities.
The report, which was based on interviews Boxer and her staff had with officials in 20 cities and all 58 counties, paints a stark picture of the economic strains felt across California. The detailed analysis includes unemployment figures, home foreclosure rates, budget deficits, and first-hand accounts of the impact of the recession on social services and non-governmental, charitable organizations.
“I want to thank all 58 counties for participating in this important report, as it has given me the information I need to ensure that California gets back on track,” Boxer said. “This report is a reality check on the economy – things are not good, but change is coming. I am going to focus like a laser beam on saving and creating jobs, which is the backbone of any economy.”
San Benito County Assistant County Administrative Officer Rich Inman spoke with Boxer’s staff and Boxer’s findings were reported. They found that with a population of 57,784, 9.2 percent of residents are unemployed. More striking is the foreclosure rate for 2008 through November of 1,875 homes. It averages out to one foreclosure per every 10 households.
“San Benito County is facing an uncertain budgetary situation.” Boxer’s staff wrote in a press release. “In the short term, it has frozen positions and is reviewing expenditures. The county claims to have a prudent reserve to get through the near future, but things will be much more difficult if the county or state falls into a long-lasting recession.”
The report also noted that a hiring freeze has added additional pressure to current SBC employees, especially in social service programs, where the workload has increased for existing staff as other staff members have retired or resigned and the positions have been left unfilled.
SBC staff also indicated that the county is experiencing an upswing in vector-borne diseases as a result of foreclosed homes with swimming pools. West Nile Virus was detected in the county two years ago, but none has been detected thus far in 2008. The county does have a vector control district, and residents can contact staff to report infested pools.
Statewide, budget deficits and revenue reductions have forced counties and cities to make cuts in many important programs, including public safety programs, Medi-Cal services, mental heath services, meals on wheels, and youth and senior centers. As a result, non-governmental charitable organizations have been stretched to the brink.
In addition, the report finds that critical infrastructure projects are stalled due to financing problems, which limits job growth at a time when unemployment rates are at their highest level in decades.
Boxer listed a number of provisions she is working with Congressional leaders and President-elect Barack Obama to include in federal economic recovery legislation, including:
– Investment to repair and improve existing infrastructure, including roads, bridges, transit and rail;
– Increased support for federal programs that support energy efficiency in new buildings and upgrades to existing buildings, which would create jobs;
– Investment in water infrastructure projects, including reclamation, reuse, and groundwater cleanup programs that could not only provide new water supplies, but create jobs;
– Increased investment in the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program, which awards grants to state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies so they can hire and train law enforcement officers, purchase new crime-fighting technologies, and develop innovative policing strategies;
– Providing additional Community Development Block Grants, which helps states and local governments to implement plans to address local housing needs and neighborhood stabilization as a result of the foreclosure crisis; and
– Increasing the percentage of funding the federal government provides to states for the Medicaid program, which provides health care services for low-income individuals.
The full report is available on Senator Boxer’s website at:
http://boxer.senate.gov/features/Boxer_California_Recession_Report.pdf
