California budget stalled over immigrant health care

http://www.sacbee.com/content/politics/ ... 9416c.html

Budget stalled over immigrant health care
By Clea Benson -- Bee Capitol Bureau
Published 1:39 pm PDT Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Legislative approval of the state budget will be late for the 21st year in a row because Republicans and Democrats remain at odds over a small provision in the $131 billion spending plan that would allow undocumented immigrant children to qualify for state-funded health care, Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez told reporters Wednesday morning.
The constitutional deadline for passing a state budget is Thursday.

"Obviously, we're not going to get there," Nunez said.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger proposed a budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1 that includes a $22 million allocation to shore up health-care programs in some counties that already provide health insurance for all children, regardless of their residency status.

Democrats in the Legislature added $1.8 million to take the first steps toward expanding some statewide health-insurance programs to cover the roughly 800,000 California children who don't have health insurance, including an estimated 96,000 children who are undocumented.

Republicans said they would not vote for a spending plan if it includes money to provide health care for undocumented immigrants.

"We don't want to encourage illegal immigration," Senate Republican leader Dick Ackerman said Tuesday. "That kind of proposal would immediately encourage more illegal immigration."

Assembly and Senate leaders from both parties are scheduled to meet Wednesday afternoon to see if they can reach a compromise.

But Nunez was pessimistic about the chances of that happening before the deadline.

"I'm very disappointed in my Republican colleagues who are using this as a sticking point to not want to get a budget done," he said.

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a small provision in the $131 billion spending plan that would allow undocumented immigrant children to qualify for state-funded health care

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simple solution -- they are not entitled to state sponsored healthcare

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"We don't want to encourage illegal immigration," Senate Republican leader Dick Ackerman said Tuesday. "That kind of proposal would immediately encourage more illegal immigration."

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Someone better listen to Dick Ackerman because he knows what he's talking about! :wink:

Budgets are made for citizens not foreigners. It's about time Mexico takes care of their own citizens and leave us to our own affairs.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?sectio ... id=4271502

Immigration Battle Brewing Over Health Care
By Nannette Miranda
June 14 - KGO - A new battle over illegal immigration in California is brewing and it revolves around health care and your tax dollars.

The Democrats' proposal would make it easier for the children of illegal immigrants to qualify for the state's Healthy Families program, targeting the working poor. It eliminates the legal status requirement and eases the income threshold.

The aim is to allow 300,000 more uninsured kids to qualify over the next couple of years.

Assm. Chuck DeVore, (R) Irvine: "What we are doing is providing the best healthcare American tax dollars can provide to people who aren't even supposed to be in America. It's crazy!"

The non-partisan Legislative Analyst Office estimates it could cost more than $136 million the first year and $67 million dollars the next.

Democrats say children learn better in school when they're feeling well and that it's far cheaper to provide preventative care than emergency room care.

Assemblywoman Wilma Chan has led the fight to insure all of the state's 800,000 uninsured kids and blames election year politics for anti-immigrant rhetoric.

Assm. Wilma Chan, (D) Oakland: "I think it's a hot button political issue, and I don't think they should use children to win political election elections. I think we need to do the right thing."

A UCLA study estimates undocumented children make up at least 12 percent of uninsured kids in California.

Interestingly, some Republican lawmakers are also not happy with Governor Schwarzenegger's proposal to add $23 million dollars to a special health program run by 18 counties.

Those programs do not ask clients their legal status.

Katie Levinson, Governor's campaign spokeswoman: "The Governor has made clear time and again that children should not be punished for the activities of their parents."

Republican votes are crucial in passing a state budget. With a number of them unhappy with both the Democrats' and the Governor's plan, it's unlikely lawmakers will make Thursday's budget deadline.

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Assm. Wilma Chan, (D) Oakland: "I think it's a hot button political issue, and I don't think they should use children to win political election elections. I think we need to do the right thing."

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Of course the Democrats would never do that!