CA Deaf SSI Recipients - No COLA's For You!

Cousin Vinny

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As some may know, the state of CA is experiencing budgetary crisis, and need to cut services to 'balance' the budget for 2008-09. For the adventurous, you can click on the link below: (Warning: It's 937 pages long!)

CA 2008-09 Budget Reduction Proposal

Of more ominous note is pages 599-601; The state is proposing to suspend their COLA's for the SSP portion for 2008 & 2009. (And possibly beyond) For those who aren't familiar with the 'SSP portion', its what the State contributes towards a SSI monthly benefit. For example;

The Federal Gov't. gives an monthly SSI benefit amount of $500 and will give out COLA's every year. However, as many know, a person can't live in CA for $500/month; the state pitches in with $370 a month via the SSP portion. Then a person has a monthly benefit amount of $870/month to live off.

The COLA's for the Federal SSI portion will continue as normal; if the state has their way, they won't put in a COLA for the SSP portion. While that may not sound like much, it is nonetheless a blow to SSI recipients in CA, as they are already overstretched with their monthly benefit as it is.

That's deflation at work. :( An ugly thing to behold, indeed. Bottom line, if you are a Deafie, living in CA, and draw upon SSI, I would start looking for a job. Regardless, disabled people who have jobs and hold them will win out against those that continue to draw upon public benefits like SSI.
 
While it's sad that it's being cut, at the same time I was never on SSI, and while I struggled to make ends meet while in college, I ended up being a lot more fiscally responsible as a result. So, I'm not going to shed a tear over people losing that money. Too many people I knew were spending their money on the following priorities:

1) Booze
2) Smokes
3) Drugs
4) Food
5) Rent
 
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