Cutback plan may slice wrong way

Re “Governor’s budget derails his lofty goals,” Jan. 11

Let’s look at the governor’s proposed cuts relating to people with disabilities. I am a senior citizen with cerebral palsy and need help in every aspect of my daily life. Does Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger understand that I absolutely need someone to cook for me, feed, bathe and dress me? I have never been able do these things for myself.

When I hear about cuts in programs for people with disabilities, I am frightened by the seeming lack of concern for those of us who cannot, through no fault of our own, help ourselves. Institutions would be the next step. I have lived in institutions. They are not the answer, and they cost far more.

I do whatever I can to be independent and live with my disability. It seems that the governor and lawmakers insist on making that harder. Why are the disabled always the first group asked to balance the budget with their health and safety?

Joe Hemphill

Fresno

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Got to love the headline. Funny, I’m kind of in the same boat. My budgetary shortfall has caused me to forsake that villa in Tuscany for a tract home in Van Nuys, give up the dream of a fully restored 1963 Aston Martin DB5 in my driveway for a 1998 Toyota Camry and deal with only about a 5% increase in my revenue over the last four years, as opposed to the roughly 30% increase in tax revenue the governor and his state government cohorts enjoy. In other words, as far as fiscal reality goes, welcome to my world.

Robert Brennan

Van Nuys

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Re “Crisis looms for retiree healthcare,” Jan. 8

Given that our state is overburdened with purportedly oversize employee benefits and projected annual deficits of billions with no end in sight, it may be better for Schwarzenegger to simply declare bankruptcy for our state. This will give him a more flexible hand in renegotiating the extraordinary benefits provided to our state employees.

By all measurements, California is bankrupt, and someone should start telling us that the emperor has no clothes.

John T. Chiu

Newport Beach