Comments on: Poll shows opposition to Brown’s plan to cut First 5

By: ralph hoffmann

ralph hoffmann — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 03:33:26 +0000

If we don’t cut back on gasoline consumption soon, protests in the Mideast will shut down crude oil supply, and we will run out of gasoline by summer.
Tazation is a way to voluntarily cut gas consumption, while helping to balance the CA budget.

By: John Lindsay

John Lindsay — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 20:29:26 +0000

As a participating First 5 member agency, I can tell you that I am reaching those children first hand and treating their dental needs. Denti-cal, Access Dental, Healthy Families are not reaching those children in need. I go to their schools and preschools to treat. The very parents that are in need, are the ones that don’t have jobs that provide for time off. Since I am there at the schools, the child are there and mom and dad don’t have to take off work to get their children treated. Take away my service and the absenteeism will increase back up to were it used to be ten years ago to 5 days missed. We are now at 2 days missed due to dental pains, not treatments. Redistributing these funds will only cost the state, not save a penny.

By: Marie T.

Marie T. — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 20:45:42 +0000

I will definatly be telling everyone to vote against this propostion. This money (cig. tobacco money) was set aside for the programs and low cost health insurance for 1st 5. So go take someone elses money and use it to balance your budget Jerry Brown or better yet the extra money you have left over from your campaign can be donated to the budget. If everyone paid taxes in this country besides the low and middle class people we would all be out of this mess. EVERYONE (yes this means you rich people) should pay taxes. No exemptions!!!

By: Carol Carrillo

Carol Carrillo — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 23:08:19 +0000

Once again the State of California wants to balance the budget on the backs of our most vulnerable citizens. I strongly oppose the Governors’ strategy. I also see the First Five Family Resources Centers and other First Five funded programs providing cost effective family support service that are extremely valuable.

By: Ingelore Weinberg

Ingelore Weinberg — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 20:37:00 +0000

Cutting services for the youngest of our citizens seems very expensive, even future financially. I see the Family Resource Centers and other programs First 5 sponsors, as most valuable.

By: David Stuart

David Stuart — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 19:43:53 +0000

Once again the State is trying to balance their budget at the Counties expense. These funds need to be kept at the local level.

By: John W

John W — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 00:16:55 +0000

Myrna,

I understand your points, and I also understand that the state budget can’t be fixed without making tough choices, including First 5. However, in response to your thoughts, I don’t see First 5 in altruistic terms. Whatever failings the parents may have that contribute to the situation, the fact is that all of us live with and pay for what happens if these kids get off to a bad start in the education system and end up later on welfare, in prison or whatever. So, I see First 5 in investment terms. Even so, everything has to be on the table to fix the budget.

By: Myrna

Myrna — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 23:28:11 +0000

I love children and I volunteer helping needy children in my community.
I appreciate what First 5 does for these kids but we have to educate parents who use these services. I see lots of families with 4 or up to 6 kids living at the mercy of organizations like First 5 or WIC among others.
We need a program to educate these families about family planning and birth control. These parents need our help but we need to empower them in that respect.
I don’t have children and won’t until I’m financially able to care for a child and is it too much to ask from other people?
Does first 5 help parents with family planning? Budget cuts will affect many young children but unfortunately their parents are putting them in that situation.

By: Elwood

Elwood — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 01:10:11 +0000

I am generally opposed to all tax increases.

The only way I would consider a gas tax increase is if there were a guarantee that the proceeds could be used only for highways, not mass transit (a money sink which hardly anyone uses) or fur lined jock straps for transvestites or some other social program so favored by our legislators.

The reason our roads are so crappy is that the legislature has stolen gas tax money for the general fund which goes to the sort of thing touched on above.

By: ralph hoffmann

ralph hoffmann — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 00:26:16 +0000

What do y’ll think about raising the state gasoline tax from 18 cents/gal. to get the tax up to the same %
of gasoline price it was in 1994, the last time CA gas tax was raised by a penny? Carpools have gone the way of hitchhiking, dropping by half since 1980. We have a huge waste of car & bus seats in the USA.