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Hawaii Trip Lands Officials in Hot Water

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The Feb. 16 article, “Officials Get Free Trip to Hawaii,” should certainly open the eyes of the public about who is benefiting from our tax dollars. The money spent by the California Assn. of Health Facilities, whose members operate nursing homes, to send the leader of the state Assembly and four other Democratic lawmakers on their “paid for” holiday at the Pro Bowl in Honolulu comes from the tax dollars of the people of California.

The majority of nursing home costs are paid through the Medi-Cal system, and for the nursing home industry to spend tax dollars earmarked to care for our most vulnerable citizens, our mothers and fathers, in order to wine, dine and get special favors from the lawmakers is unscrupulous to say the least.

The nursing home operators are always crying that Medi-Cal doesn’t reimburse enough to take proper care of the patients, yet there is enough money to pay for political boondoggles?

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For Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez to say, “We have an opportunity to spend some time with folks ... and have some fun,” speaks volumes that something is wrong with this picture. Perhaps Nunez should go into some nursing homes to see how much fun the patients aren’t having.

Carole Herman

Founder, Foundation Aiding

the Elderly, Sacramento

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I am much less concerned about legislators getting free trips to exotic, faraway places like Hawaii than I am about them receiving round-trip tickets so they can come back. If they were strictly one-way trips, it would be a great deal for the taxpayers.

David Jensen

Altadena

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