Budget Should Be Scraped From Top

Being an AFDC (Aid to Families With Dependent Children) recipient myself, I was appalled at the opinions of your readers (Letters, Sept. 13).

Are these the same people who consider all homeless people as bums? Without considering the fact that a lot of homeless come from mental facilities and board-and-care homes that have been shut down by our state? Not to mention our high unemployment rates.

I don’t know who those recipients were they interviewed. I think they are a small percentage of people on AFDC.

I don’t worry about luxuries such as fabric softener, baby wipes or disposable diapers! I worry about taking care of four small children, paying rent of $750 and my utilities on an allowance of $850 a month.

My children wash out their underclothes and socks at their bath time themselves. They have learned to do without a lot of things other children have.

Now don’t get me wrong, we thank God each day for the help we receive.

I know I have an apartment to pay rent on, when others have none. I just don’t appreciate your readers classifying all of us recipients in one package.

Have they ever tried to even think about trying to budget on such a small amount?

And about education, who’s going to care for the children and supply transportation? What about children (such as I have) with special needs? It’s not so easy to find these things when your children are still small.

I don’t plan on making a lifetime career of being on AFDC, but in the meantime, why make it any harder on the people who are already at the lowest?

Why can’t that knife-wielding budget-cutter scrape a little from the top instead of the bottom? After all, isn’t that where all the frosting is?

KIM KIRBY

Orange