TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
FROM: Executive Office
MEETING DATE: June 3, 2025
DEPARTMENT CONTACT:
Darcie Antle
PHONE:
707-463-4441
DEPARTMENT CONTACT:
Kelly Hansen
PHONE:
707-463-4441
ITEM TYPE: Consent Agenda
TIME ALLOCATED FOR ITEM: N/A
AGENDA TITLE:
title
Ratification of Letter of Support for Safety Net Programs and Head Start
End
RECOMMENDED ACTION/MOTION:
recommendation
Ratify letter of support for safety net programs and Head Start.
End
PREVIOUS BOARD/BOARD COMMITTEE ACTIONS:
The Board of Supervisors regularly issues support letters that align with the 2025 Legislative Platform. These letters advocate for adequate and ongoing federal and state funding, timely distribution of resources, increased local authority, and flexibility in administering and providing services.
SUMMARY OF REQUEST:
As of May 2025, the current U.S. administration has proposed deep cuts to core safety net programs in the Fiscal Year 2026 federal budget, threatening services vital to the health, stability, and economic well-being of rural communities like Mendocino County. These proposals include:
* Medicaid (Medi-Cal): A proposed $880 billion reduction over the next decade could result in 2.3 to 8.6 million Americans losing health coverage. Locally, Medi-Cal supports 43.8% of county residents and is foundational to our healthcare infrastructure.
* SNAP (CalFresh): With $230 billion in proposed cuts over ten years, reductions to SNAP would jeopardize food security for low-income families and disrupt local food economies. Over 16,000 Mendocino County residents rely on CalFresh benefits.
* TANF (CalWORKs): Proposed across-the-board cuts of at least 10% would undermine income support, childcare, job training, and education services that help struggling families become self-sufficient.
* Head Start: The proposed complete elimination of Head Start funding would have devastating consequences for early childhood education, working parents, and local employmen...
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