The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors today approved a stimulus plan aimed at creating temporary jobs for up to 10,000 people and simultaneously took steps to oppose state plans to cut welfare programs.
The county's plan to subsidize employment for as many as 10,000 residents relies on more than $180 million in funding provided through the federal government's economic stimulus package.
At Knabe's urging, the board instructed the county's chief executive to move forward with the jobs creation program. Knabe, however, warned that the state's move to cut CalWORKS could put 90 percent of the federal funding at risk.
He called the elimination of the CalWORKS welfare-to-works "far-fetched," but said that "even the mere prospect of this is completely unacceptable, and we should make every effort to inform Sacramento of the devastating impact any such proposal would have."
The supervisors directed lobbyists in Sacramento to vehemently oppose the elimination of the welfare program and said they would actively oppose the reduction of other social service programs serving the neediest county residents.
