State cuts painful to senior citizens

As a Washington state native, I am angered and disappointed that my state has instructed the Social Security Administration to change the amount of money I have been receiving from Supplemental Security Income, beginning July 1.

This change will deduct $311 per year from my income, which consists only of Social Security, which payments were based on my last 10 years of employment (part-time) to care for my dying husband. I could have allowed the state to care for him, but chose to save my state money.

I am now 83 years of age, a childless widow, living in HUD housing and thankful for that!

I wrote to our governor, to my 21st District Rep. Mike Cooper, to Rep. Brain Sullivan, Sen. Paull Shin, also to Jay Inslee, 1st District Congress.

I’ve received a reply from Rep. Mike Cooper who tells me, “This was a difficult decision the Legislature had to make in order to cope with a $1.3 billion shortfall.” The Legislature’s decision is to “redirect the bulk of SSP funding to the Department of Developmental Disabilities…..”

I am in favor of helping that department, however, why could it not have been divided equally between the two?

Perhaps our state representatives and governor could tighten their belts to save my state monies and redirect them to the poor and needy.

The governor’s heritage is from China, where elders are revered. They are kept in family homes until death. In America, baby-boomers can hardly wait to place their aging parents in state paid for facilities in order to get off the hook for their care.

My letter from SSI states. “Please remember that you do not have the right to appeal the state’s decision to change payments to its residents.” Do we live in a democracy or a dictatorship? Will the next stop be euthanasia of those 65 or older? Think about it!

Edmonds

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