• Supreme Court Hears Prop 8 Arguments
• Are California's Budget Cuts Making Sense?
• Evaluating the Economy
• A Tax Break for Low and Moderate-Income Families
• Schools in the Nation's Capital
• Efforts to Care for God's Creation Aim to Protect Vulnerable

Supreme Court Hears Prop 8 Arguments

For three hours the morning of March 5, the seven California Supreme Court justices listened to and questioned the attorneys on both sides of Proposition 8---the constitutional amendment passed by the voters (52-48 percent) in November which contained just 14 words:  "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California."  The Protect Marriage coalition was granted intervener status so that the voters would be represented---in that the Attorney General declined to do so.

Read a fuller account of the hearing on our website or contract Carol Hogan, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , for more information.

Are California's Budget Cuts Making Sense?

State agencies are looking for many ways to save money, but many advocates for children are questioning whether a $100 million dollar reduction to disability programs in the Department of Developmental Services makes sense.  These kinds of debates will be frequent in the Golden State over the coming months.

The DDS is planning to cut back regional centers where non-profit partners provide services to individuals with disabilities.  One of the many services slated for cutback is the Early Start Services Program for infants and toddlers with severe disabilities.  While providing services to these high risk children is optional for the state under Federal regulations, the move leaves them with the bare minimum of health service.

Children with severe disabilities can benefit from specialized attention given at an early age but especially as they form developmental skills and progress in family life.

The proposed cuts to the DDS budget can be viewed here, or contact Ginger Silvera, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , for more information.

Evaluating the Economy

During this time of economic upheaval the U.S. Bishops 1996 statement, a Catholic Framework for Economic Life, can be useful in evaluating the current conditions in the world.  "The economy exists for the person, not the person existing for the economy," begins the statement

The Framework is available on the Economic Justice portion of our website.

A Tax Break for Low- and Moderate-Income Families

The Federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is successfully lifting millions of persons out of poverty--so much so that it has been called the "best anti-poverty, the best pro-family, the best job creation measure."  In fact, the federal EITC raises the income of more than four million persons, including over two million children each year.  In California, over 2 million households claim the federal EITC benefits.

Visit our Economic Justice page to learn more about the credit, and find ways to help families apply.  Contact Linda Wanner, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , for more information.

Schools in the Nation's Capital

Last week, Congress was considering the passage a bill that would eliminate a highly successful scholarship program, The D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program.

This program currently allows approximately 1,700 of the poorest students in the District of Columbia to attend private schools with scholarships of up to $7,500.  In the current school year, 879 students, about half of those participating in the program, are using these financial aid vouchers towards payment of their tuition in Catholic schools.  The annual average income for families in the program is $23,000.  Needless to say, these families, whom reside predominately in the poorest neighborhoods of Washington, D.C., do not have the resources to enroll their children in those private schools without the scholarships awarded from this program.

This scholarship program was created 5 years ago as part of a federal initiative to strengthen education for all children in D.C. through additional federal funds for public and charter schools and scholarships for low-income children to attend a private school of their choice.

The $14 million cut to this program is part of a $410 billion spending package that Congress is about to vote on.  If this bill is passed by Congress, this program would be terminated after the 2009-10 school year forcing 1,700 D.C. students to enroll in D.C. public schools, where the average cost for a child to attend is $14,400.  These new and even higher costs would have to be absorbed by the city itself, adding substantially to the city's already projected deficit of $800 million.

If you would like to take action on this issue, please contact your Congressional Representatives today and urge them to please continue funding for The D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program.

You can use the Catholic Legislative Network page to compose e-mails on this or any other issues on which you may want to voice your concerns to your elected officials.

Efforts to Care for God's Creation Aim to Protect Vulnerable

The Catholic Climate Coalition on Climate Change will soon begin a major effort to ask organizations and individuals to pray and act on environmental concerns.  The US Conference of Catholic Bishops and many other groups are part of the coalition.

The organization advocates for individuals affected by climate change, urging that they be informed of the adverse consequences of environmental degradation on their lives and receive the appropriate attention necessary to address the impact.

Some such efforts are taking shape in the legislature.  For instance, the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 requires the Air Resources Board to regulate greenhouse emissions and manage the Air Pollution Control Fund.  A recently introduced bill, for example, will designate some of the revenues for Community Benefits Funds which help communities most affected by pollution and environmental degradation.  (AB 1405 - Community Benefit Funds)

The Catholic Climate Coalition will soon be asking people of goodwill to take the St. Francis Pledge which will combine prayer, education and advocacy on climate change issues. For more information visit the Coalition's site or contact Ginger Silvera, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , for more information