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Will Human Services Get the Axe?
By Abby Freedman
Larry Gossett. |
In a budget crisis, each program fights to prove its own validity, the necessity of each dollar. The hue and cry is all par for the course of politics in a diminishing budget. But when King County Executive Ron Sims announced his intention to cut the human services budget by half in 2002 and completely eliminate the services by 2004, several groups in the city erupted in furor.
As the most visible outcry, the King County Alliance for Human Services (KCAHS) held a press conference on July 9 at the Seattle Labor Temple. The group, a coalition of social service providers, foundations, the faith community and business leaders, spoke out against Sims making what members saw as disproportionate cuts in human services programs. Many of the programs go toward helping low-income citizens, with services such as child daycare, visiting nurse care for senior citizens, and community health programs.
Members of the coalition rallied and railed against the ever-increasing criminal justice budget, which has more than doubled in the past decade, while programs such as human services only rose 28 percent. Members of the group reminded the public that alternatives to incarceration--that is, human services--could greatly reduce the daily average of 3,000 people in jail, each of whom cost $80 per day. One-third of these people, says the KCAHS, pose no threat to public safety, but are instead incarcerated for traffic violations, failures to appear in court or inability to pay their own bail.
Though not at the press conference, King County Councilmember Larry Gossett was named as one of the leading opponents of the human services cut. Gossett represents District 10, which includes the Central Area.
When reached at his office for comment, Gossett explained that he thinks that human services should receive some cuts, just not disproportionate to the rest of the programs. "We have to identify places that cuts can be made and still keep our government as viable as possible," he said. "I do think every agency of the King County government has to be willing to take some cuts. I supported the King County Council taking a 12 - 15 percent cut. I supported the executive having to do the same thing. But at this time I do not support out of whack cuts to human services in relation to other services to the people."
According to Gossett, Sims has altered his expectations somewhat and is now asking for fewer cuts to the program. But he thinks that human services will continue to be victim to these sorts of scares.
"Some programs are mandated in our [state] charter," he said. "It is chartered that we have to have a prosecutor, it is chartered that we have superior and district court judges. The human services program is more flexible, but it is still, in my opinion, just as necessary, just as viable. That's why I'm a proponent of keeping it."
To help protect the program from future draconian cuts, and to help keep the criminal justice budget from inflating beyond all reasonable measure, Gossett says he and other members of the King County Law, Justice and Human Services Committee have passed a resolution. This piece of legislation calls for a reduction of jail populations and to put resources support for alternatives to incarceration. On July 22, the King County Council as a whole will vote on whether or not to pass the resolution. If passed, the resolution would become law and, ultimately, a framework for future policy.
Gossett is hopeful that it will pass, not only because it is historically important but practical, as well. "This will be the first time we have ever had criteria for who gets to go into jail," he said. "Those clients who are threats or repeat offenders will have priority. But people who are driving without a license will get put into relicensing programs. If you're caught driving drunk, we'll send you to a sobriety center."
Gossett cautioned that resources would only go into alternative programs that have been proven effective. But he hopes that the alternatives could lessen the average population by 300 - 400 people per day. That is a potential savings of $2,400 - 3,200 daily, which would also help fund the alternative programs, he said.
Whether or not the council passes this resolution, however, the human services program will be cut by several million dollars, and its ultimate fate is still in question, since Sims will not submit his final budget cut proposals until fall and may or may not still advocate the elimination of the program. But the cuts, no matter how deep or superficial, will be felt by all of society--first by the poor, then by the rest of the population.
"The accumulative effect on the poor will be felt right away," he said. "For men on general unemployment because they are disabled or unable to work, their medical coverage is going to be cut. They'll still receive their $317 a month, but it will be devastating.
"The single men who are unemployed will no longer be eligible for food stamps. Single women with children will still be eligible but the government will cut [the amount of stamps]."
In short, he said, the poor will be the first and hardest hit, but these will have repercussions on the other members of society.
"The larger population may [not be affected] in the short run," Gossett said. "But it will have a deleterious effect on them too. There will be more homeless people, more people on the street. There will be more people made desperate and some of them may turn to drugs and end up in jail. In time, [the rest of society] will recognize the effects, but I don't know if they will notice the cut right away."
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