The Disabled, Non-Profits In Despair Over Next State Budget

Just when many Californians had hoped the worst would be over, the state is facing massive budget shortfall again this year. Many non-profit and community organizations are already bracing themselves for another round of cuts.

Peggy Madrid of Martinez relies on a number of state services and non-profit groups to help her care for her adult son, Ernie.

“It is having a perpetual toddler. Ernie's about three years old mentally,” said Madrid. “It's hard. We need that help. My life revolves around my son's schedule.”

But in the past year she's seen that help diminish. State budget cuts have taken a toll on the services Madrid and her family rely on - from her son's medication to his school.

“I called up to find out about all the cuts and they told me, "well, you live in California,” said Madrid.

The budget picture in 2010 is not much prettier than it was a year ago. California faces a $21 billion budget shortfall in the next year and a half.

“The reality is, there are going to be cuts. There's just no way around it, there's going to be pain,” said State Sen. Mark DeSaulnier.

And that's what many non-profit groups and social service agencies are afraid of.

“We already went through an earthquake financially with what happened this year. To go through it again this year there's just no way,” said Maureen Wright, executive director of Respite Inn.

Wright is the director of a 24-hour care facility for disabled adults called the Respite Inn. Last year's cuts slashed the state contribution to her budget in half.

“We're not even hanging on right now with the cuts that have happened. Any more cuts and we would definitely close down,” said Wright.

Some Californians say they might be willing to pay more in taxes in order to keep social programs and education intact.

“If we have to kick in more, we have to kick in more. I don’t see that as the worst thing in the world,” said David Fitzgerald of Concord.

Desaulnier said raising taxes is politically tough to do.

“You need a super majority of both houses and the governor and the voters to raise taxes,” said Desaulnier.

So cutting services seems to be a more likely option. But Desaulnier said that like last year - California could get some help from the federal government again.

“Right now there's a proposal in congress for 75 billion in stimulus money for all the states. California will usually get about 10-15 percent of that. That would solve part of our problem - but we've still got a problem,” said Desaulnier.

Members of the state senate and assembly head back to Sacramento Monday. Governor Schwarzenegger was supposed to unveil a new spending plan to deal with this budget shortfall later this month.