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Page 2 â€" Waterioo Chronicle, Wedriasday, February 22, 1978 ; ; tn wherg!.. Aamts,: on M _ Cutting social services budget risky, says Evans > A paredâ€"down 1978 Waterico Region social seryâ€" ices budget could turn into a financial headache later in the year. | Reducing the budget from an 18 per cent increase to a 10.5 per cent boost "has involved some really radical use of the scalpel and is fiscally risky," adâ€" mitted Dr. Gerard Evans, Regional commissioner of health and social services. Originally, department staff planned for a net 18 per cent increase in the Regional tax levy for soâ€" cial services. But they trimmed it to 10.9 per cent in light of the Region‘s goal of holding budget inâ€" creases this year to a maximum of 3 per cent. The Region‘s health and social servicés commitâ€" tee cut that to 10.5 per cent during budget deliberâ€" ations last Wednesday. In making the reduction, the budget takes. into account only a 3 per cent increase in general welâ€" fare assistance (GWA) clients this year though the increase could be hiFher in light of nagging high Stop paying mileage charges to Kitchener. We‘re open 24 hours,. 7 days a week. The best live telephone answering service,. plus paging services. alarm monitoring, and radio dispatching. m 0 Coronet Splush Shag Waterioo‘s only â€" Multiâ€"toned 4 colours . . . . . . Imperial Carved Shag â€" 1 roll Earthâ€"tone beige . . . . Burlington Specials Blue Shag, Gold Shag, Ivory Loop .. Hardingâ€"Venture Kitchen Carpet Scotch guarded Antiâ€"Static, 5 year guarantee . . . . Cushion Floors by Armstrong Noâ€"Wax by Amtico 2 Rolls. .. ............. Many Rolls and Colours . . ... Telephone Answering Service Benjamin Moore Paint . .. Paint Accessories ... ... 382 KING ST. N., WATERLOO telephone answering and slectronic communication HK TILE HAS THE SPECIALS TO BRIGHTEN YOUR DAY opens March 1 Hâ€"K TILE â€" Over 100 books ;;';:Fo‘ggevf;om 20% off Hâ€"K HOME DECORATING fauacucc............. 6.88 WINTER SUNSHINE SALE e : A: M 22222.0..0.99 boblccciiii....... # .99 nstrons _ 4095 Walleaper ks to choose ftr« .mfiuody a 3 per cent increase is a calcw lated risk. ‘"‘Let‘sâ€"say it‘s snug," said socail services administrator Art Pope in an interview. ‘"Welfare forecasting is the closest thing to Russian roulette."" If the increase does exceed 3 per cent, it would mean the Region wouldn‘t have enough money budâ€" geted for the program and would Have to. use conâ€" tingency funds and operate the program with a deficit. . And the Region has no choice. Under law, it has to provide assistance to anyone who qualifies under the GWA program, the vast buik of which is subâ€" sidized 80 per cent by the province., "We‘ve got no option," noted Pope, "we‘ve got to pay." The budget for the GWA 80 per cent subsidy program is approximately $4.8 million, over a third of the entire health and social services budget of $13.4 million. The total social services budget is estimated at roughly $7 million. But the mood of restraint is a dominant theme this year. ‘"‘We all have to, particularly in the next year, hurt a little bit," Kitchener Ald. Merv Villeâ€" maire said last Wednesday. * Increases to the department‘s health unit, day care program and Sunnyside Home are hovering around a net 3 per cent hike in the Regional tax levy. Consequently, if approved as is by Regional courâ€" or short term welfare clients. o ‘ cil, the total department budget reflects a 7.5 per The assistance only pays a portion of rental costs, cent increase in the Regional tax levy. : not the entire amount, and is distributed through a It was indicated last week, though, that the Reâ€" formula based on the average accomodation costs gion is still on target to meeting its 3 per cent inâ€" in the area. crease limitation on the overall Regional budget Welfare assistance over the past few years has depending upon police costs. not kept up with inflation meaning individuals are A majority of the social services cutbacks were taking more out of their food budgets to pay for made in two rental supplement programs. About shelter and fuel, Pope noted. Reductigqns in the supâ€" $62,000 was trimmed from a supplement program plement v‘ould further cut into Img‘s budgets, he ol e e warned. in Stock Paper 25% .. ..... . 20% 886â€"3430 for GWA clients which was initiated by the Region last summer. The is subsidized 50 per cent P:aovfiu.fiftfifllhflhmlwm or To continue the program this year, the province required the Region to add a rent supplement proâ€" gram for Family Benefit Assistance (FBA) recipâ€" ients, mainly single mothers of families. Although that program won‘t start until July, it will cost over $100,000. Original budget estimates will cost over $100,000. Original budget estimates put aside $255,000 for the program but $151,000 was cut last week. The program is subsidized 80 per cent by the province. About another 500 families are expected to receive assistance under the proâ€" Pope indicated, however, that the Region had planned to offer both programs last year but probâ€" lems prevented it from implementing the FBA supâ€" plement assistance. He noted the Region has not been led "kicking and screaming‘‘ into the FBA supplement program. Last week, he argued against any further cuts in the supplement programs, noting it mainly helps those who are powerless to help themselves. ‘"‘The vast majority (of recipients), as I constantly repeat, are those who can‘t help themselves," he told the committee. â€" The committee was assured the supplements were paid only to unemployables, not to employable men or short term welfare clients. > But Cambridge Ald. Bernice Adams noted that, as well as to the unemployed, the region has a resâ€" ponsibility to working people who too are "feeling the pinch of inflation acutely." * The assistance only pays a portion of rental costs, not the entire amount, and is distributed through a formula based on the average accomodation costs in the area. Evans indicated the program is geared to help provide reasonable accommodation at reasonable cost and is monitored closely. â€" The reductions will mean more severe criteria will be established for supplement recipients and the individual amounts allocated will be reduced, the committee learned. The committee reviewed the Sunnyside Home, day care and hbealth unit budgets and made some minimal cuts. ~ . The most noteworthy was the trimming of $17,000 and some minimal related costs for the hirâ€" ing of an additional community nutritionist which was recommended in a recent report. Parkdale Plaza corner of Albert and Haze!l Sts. open 7 days a week to serve you. 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