Utah Reauthorization Project P. O. Box 270090 Fruitland, UT 84027-0090 (435) 548-2630 FAX (435) 548-2438 wrw@ubtanet.com www.slcap.org/UREAP/ureap.htm
UREAP III MEETING SUMMARY
Tuesday, April 26, 2005
2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Horizonte Instruction and Training Center
1234 S. Main Street, SLC
In Attendance Helen Thatcher, Department of Workforce Services (DWS)
Sheila Walsh-McDonald, Salt Lake Community Action Program (CAP)
Karen Silver, Salt Lake CAP
Lois Kelson, Community Action Services, Provo
Pam Silberman, Utah Issues
Don Uchida, Vocational Rehabilitation
Garth Mangum, Inner-City Project
John Slade, Utah Department of Health
Mary Beth Vogel-Ferguson, Social Research Institute, U of U
Pat Nielson, League of Women Voters
Bill Walsh, Walsh & Weathers Research and Policy Studies, UREAP staff
Welcome
Bill Walsh welcomed everyone. He explained that Shirley Weathers was in a
training and could not attend. He asked participants to think about questions
to ask Matthew Sandgren and Jenny George of Senator Hatch's staff who would
be joining the meeting at 2:30 via speakerphone. WIA Reauthorization Update Don Uchida provided three hand-outs detailing potential impacts
to Utah Vocational Rehabilitation programs if WIA Plus or budget reductions
proposed by the Administration and in the House Budget Resolution are enacted.
VR could loose $750,000. He explained the policy problems and budget threats
involved. Helen Thatcher commented that WIA services were changing and evolving
and were "outcome driven." Congress will determine the outcomes they want
to see.
Conversation with Matthew Sandgren and
Jenny George
Jenny George said TANF was operating on a continuation basis until June 30.
She said Senator Frist wanted to bring TANF up soon but that there were talks
going on about child care funding. She said it would not come up before the
Senate recess in May.
Sheila Walsh-McDonald asked what would happen if TANF got caught up in the
reconciliation process rather than proceeding through the legislative reauthorization
process. Jenny responded that Senator Gregg was concerned about the child
care funding and was talking with Senator Grassley and others to come up with
an appropriate number. She said that, if Democrats would agree with that number,
the bill could be allowed to move to the Senate Floor, thereby removing the
threat of going with reconciliation. So if the child care number can be resolved,
Senator Grassley's preference for legislative reauthorization can proceed.
When asked about specific numbers for child care and the TANF block grant,
Jenny did not wish to give any. She said, "It's kind of a mess right now."
Karen Silver asked if UREAP members could play a role in settling the child
care numbers debate. Jenny said that UREAP could reach out to organizations
in other states, especially those who had Democratic members on the Finance
Committee, and ask them to encourage their Senators to work with Senator Grassley
to find a number that Senator Gregg can support. Bill thanked Jenny and said
that UREAP would continue to communicate with her on TANF. He said UREAP
members were concerned that services seemed in jeopardy, that the direction
of additional tax cuts was hard to understand.
Matthew Sandgren discussed WIA issues. He said Senate HELP Committee Chairman
Enzi had postponed WIA mark-up until May 11. He said there was considerable
debate over WIA Plus. He acknowledged concerns by Vocational Rehabilitation
and Adult Education about funding consolidation. However, the Utah Governor
and Workforce Services favor consolidation or some sort of possibility granted
to the state. No decisions have been made. Matt said that Chairman Enzi and
a majority of others do favor giving governors more flexibility, but that
he has not heard much yet on WIA Plus funding consolidation provisions. Bill
asked if WIA Plus was being sold on the basis of flexibility, or whether
any research indicates more efficiency or better services to distinct populations
through such a mechanism. Matt responded that he believed that Chairman Enzi
wanted flexibility in the legislation, but that would not be the same as
consolidation. He said Senators wanted to give states the option of flexibility
with their funding. For example, Utah integrated seven services into DWS,
but the funding streams have to be reported separately. It ties states up
administratively and they want some wiggle room with funding. But Matt said
it is too early to say what will happen.
Bill asked about proposed reductions in funding, especially Adult Education.
Matt referred the education item to Julieann Andreen, Senator Hatch's education
person. Bill said that it was our understanding that consolidating funding
streams was accompanied by funding reductions. Matt said he had not heard
funding reduction arguments yet. He said he had heard allegations of waste,
but no decisions have been made. Bill said that UREAP did not see waste as
a problem in Utah, rather gaps in services that require funding to fill.
Karen asked about Youth in WIA, why there was so much emphasis on out-of-school
youth programs rather than in-school programs. Matt said that he had
not heard about this issue. He said that some of the national groups get
everyone worked up over issues that are not yet being discussed in D.C. No
decisions have been made yet.
On federal budget items, neither Matt nor Jenny are lead staff, but Matt
said he understood UREAP budget concerns. He said the budget will be very
tight this year. He has seen budget reduction proposals for the Community
Development Block Grant (CDBG) and confirms proposed cuts. He said concern
over the deficit will make the budget very tight. Bill said that CDBG and
the Community Service Block Grant (CSBG) are providing essential services
in Utah, funds are not wasted but used efficiently, and neither should not
be reduced, consolidated, or put in a Superwaiver. Sheila asked about timing
of the Budget Resolution and Matt said it could come up this week. Bill asked
if Senator Hatch, with his long history in TANF and WIA and on the Finance
Committee, is looking for any Utah-specific information that will help counter
some of the radical proposals being made around that legislation or related
budget items. Matt responded by saying UREAP should continue to communicate
its views and potential impacts on Utah programs. Bill stated that many people
could not understand the reasons why additional tax cuts are so staunchly
proposed when they will grow the deficit despite program cuts. He asked if
Senators were as adamant about tax cuts as House members. Matt said he could
not speak for the Senate, but Senator Hatch supports fiscal responsibility.
He understands how difficult it is to hold the line on the budget. He supported
the Senate Budget Resolution on March 17 and supported the President's proposal.
He supports the budget framework and will work with appropriators to support
valuable Utah programs. Matt did not know how it would all be resolved. Bill
thanked Matt on behalf of UREAP and Matt extended his thanks to UREAP for
providing useful information.
Additional Discussion
Don said he learned that there were three Republican Senators opposed to
funding consolidation, but he didn't know the names of all three. He said
that, with the sides being drawn up as they are, with the Governor and DWS
on one side and some program administrators and CBOs on the other, the best
strategy to get the message across to Senator Hatch and Governor Huntsman
was to encourage consumers to write and become involved. He said that people
with disabilities require much more investment to get a job and would not
fare well if the outcome required is cost per job placement.
Helen explained that there was opposition to combining funding streams for
Wagner-Peyser, WIA Adult and Dislocated Worker programs as passed in HR 27,
and, additionally, for more programs funding consolidation in WIA Plus. She
thought Utah would not enact drastic changes even if offered additional flexibility.
It was generally understood that the Huntsman administration was not aware
of many of these programs and what they provided to specific populations.
Tim Bridgewater handles education for the Governor. Tani Downing handles
TANF and WIA. Jason Chaffetz is the Governor's Chief of Staff and NGA liaison.
It was decided to at least send UREAP communications to the Governor and
appropriate administration people.
The child care funding problem was discussed again. It is hard to understand
how tax cuts can overshadow and win out over child care. The atmosphere in
Congress seems to be turning partisan again, and rapidly so. There are so
many critical issues on the table and great stakes in passing a budget and
getting things done.
Bill pointed out that the status of the TANF and WIA reauthorization legislation
was provided on the agenda. UREAP staff has been sending out notices on the
federal budget developments. Pam Silberman said Utah Issues and allies were
trying to formulate messages in language that resonates with elected officials
and the public. They are trying to find people with the relationships and
connections that will be heard by elected officials. The public doesn't understand
how these consolidation proposals will negatively affect local program services.
More stories are needed to show how program participants now pay taxes and
were good investments. Valuable programs are worth fighting for.
Next UREAP meeting: Tuesday, May 24, at
Horizonte, 2 - 4 p.m.