Government Help for the Needy Is Essential

The board of directors of the San Fernando Valley Interfaith Council views with concern some of the rhetoric on the issue of governmental assistance to needy people that has accompanied the congressional elections of November, 1994.

Our spiritually based, nonpartisan organization sponsors and supports a variety of programs aimed at helping persons who are poor, abused, hungry, homeless and elderly. The resources for our work come from both public and private sources. Over the years, our staff has acquired considerable insight into the social and economic dynamics of our part of Los Angeles. We are keenly aware that in the areas we serve, unmet human need has been steadily increasing.

We are also well aware that the present “safety net,” including the public welfare system, is far from perfect. We welcome all efforts, including some being discussed now in Congress, to make the system more efficient, to curtail fraud and to reduce dependency.

However, we view with serious misgivings the current enthusiasm to reduce the scope of government involvement in aiding the poor. Our own work has taught us that both public and private assistance is crucial. We wish to warn against any euphoric idea that reductions in public assistance to the needy--let alone the Draconian reductions being mentioned in some quarters--will be compensated by increased assistance through private sector institutions.

Caring adequately for the poorer and weaker members of society is an obligation of justice laid upon all citizens. Government is an essential instrument in fulfilling that obligation. We call upon our elected representatives and all citizens not to sacrifice this critical role of government in the course of well-meaning and valuable attempts to reform the existing system.

THE REV. ALLYN D. AXELTON

Axelton is president of the board of directors, San Fernando Valley Interfaith Council.