Whittier : Social Services Budget Cut

The City Council has voted to reduce the Whittier Social Services Department budget from $125,000 to $100,000 for the fiscal year starting in July.

The Social Services Department had been largely funded by federal revenue sharing money, but that program is being phased out. The council rejected a city staff proposal to place the Social Services Department on a two-year, $220,000 budget that would include $70,000 from the city’s general fund.

Mayor Gene Chandler opposed using general fund revenue for social services. “I don’t think it’s the function of the city to do this,” he said. “. . . I don’t want to take away money from police radios and things like that.”

Mayor Pro Tem Sabina Schwab disagreed, saying, “Is this a city of people, or is this a city of just buildings and streets? We need to address this too if we are truly a caring city.”

The council ended up voting unanimously to allocate $90,141 in remaining revenue sharing money and $9,859 in federal Community Development Block Grant money to the Social Services Department for fiscal 1988-89. Grants from the Social Services Department help community groups such as the YMCA and Girls and Boys Clubs. The city already has received requests for $245,000 for the next fiscal year.