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“At this festive season of the year, Mr. Scrooge,” said the gentleman, taking up a pen, “it is more than usually desirable that we should make some slight provision for the Poor and Destitute, who suffer greatly at the present time. Many thousands are in want of common necessaries; hundreds of thousands are in want of common comforts, sir.”
“Are there no prisons?” asked Scrooge.
“Plenty of prisons,” said the gentleman, laying down the pen again.
“And the Union workhouses?” demanded Scrooge. “Are they still in operation?”
“They are. Still,” returned the gentleman, “I wish I could say they were not.”
“The Treadmill and the Poor Law are in full vigour, then?” said Scrooge.
“Both very busy, sir.”
“Oh! I was afraid, from what you said at first, that something had occurred to stop them in their useful course,” said Scrooge. “I’m very glad to hear it.”
“Under the impression that they scarcely furnish Christian cheer of mind or body to the multitude,” returned the gentleman, “a few of us are endeavouring to raise a fund to buy the Poor some meat and drink and means of warmth. We choose this time, because it is a time, of all others, when Want is keenly felt, and Abundance rejoices. What shall I put you down for?”
“Nothing!” Scrooge replied.
“You wish to be anonymous?”
“I wish to be left alone,” said Scrooge. “Since you ask me what I wish, gentlemen, that is my answer. I don’t make merry myself at Christmas and I can’t afford to make idle people merry. I help to support the establishments I have mentioned — they cost enough; and those who are badly off must go there.”
“Many can’t go there; and many would rather die.”
“If they would rather die,” said Scrooge, “they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population. Besides — excuse me — I don’t know that.”
“But you might know it,” observed the gentleman.
“It’s not my business,” Scrooge returned. “It’s enough for a man to understand his own business, and not to interfere with other people’s. Mine occupies me constantly. Good afternoon, gentlemen!”
Seeing clearly that it would be useless to pursue their point, the gentlemen withdrew. Scrooge returned to his labours with an improved opinion of himself, and in a more facetious temper than was usual with him.
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Chemical Dependency
¶ Eliminate Disability Lifeline and ADATSA treatment – $15.6 million
Terminates the Disability Lifeline and ADATSA (Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment and Services Act) medical programs, affecting 15,000 low-income clients who receive chemical dependency services such as assessment, opiate substitution treatment, detoxification and crisis response.
Disability Lifeline provides medical coverage for low-income adults who are unable to work due to a temporary disability. ADATSA provides shelter and/or medical benefits, treatment and occasional cash support.
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¶ Reduce chemical dependency services – $5.9 million
Reduces outpatient and detoxification chemical dependency services for 5,000 low-income clients without young children. Services include assessment, opiate substitution treatment, detoxification and crisis response.
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¶ Eliminate long-term residential and recovery house services – $2.7 million
Ends funding for long-term residential services in excess of 90 days. Ends funding for five recovery houses, which serve 299 clients per year after they have finished residential treatment program.
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¶ Close Pioneer Center East – $2.1 million
Halts funding for this Spokane chemical dependency treatment facility that annually serves 283 acute-care clients, some of whom are ordered by the court to receive intensive inpatient treatment.
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¶ Convert funding to county block grant – $2.1 million
Distributes chemical dependency state funds directly to counties to maximize efficiency.
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Economic Services
¶ Reduce state funding for subsidized child care by 12 percent – $50.0 million
Limits the number of low-income children whose families can receive subsidized child care by 4,000. Currently 33,000 low-income families receive subsidized child care while parents work.
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¶ Reduce TANF time limit to 48 months – $17.5 million
Limits maximum time a family can receive a TANF grant from 60 to 48 months, which eliminates eligibility for nearly 2,000 families.
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¶ Eliminate State Food Assistance program – $13.9 million
Halts food assistance to an estimated 11,400 individuals each month who are not eligible for federal food assistance or who have not provided documentation of citizenship.
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¶ Eliminate Disability Lifeline medical program costs – $8.7 million
Eliminates the need to cover costs for incapacity examinations associated with the Disability Lifeline medical program due to termination of the program.
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¶ Reduce TANF grant amounts by 2 percent – $7.2 million
Shrinks the average monthly grant for a family of three to $468. This grant was cut by 15 percent during the past year.
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¶ Eliminate State Family Assistance program – $6.0 million
Stops cash assistance to 1,200 families who do not meet federal TANF eligibility criteria. The average monthly payment is $240.
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¶ Reduce refugee and limited English proficiency services by 15 percent – $1.7 million
Reduces services that assist about 735 legal immigrants in achieving English proficiency.
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¶ Reduce naturalization services by 47 percent – $1.1 million
Decreases naturalization services to legal immigrants attempting to become U.S. citizens. The program serves about 4,400 individuals annually.
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¶ Restrict replacement of electronic benefits transfer cards – $752,000
Limits the replacement of lost EBTs in Community Service Offices, except in case of emergency, effective July 1, 2012. Cards are used for cash and food for low-income clients.
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