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Sacramento Bee
Letter to the Editor
June 30, 2006
Re "Give and take seals budget deal," June
27: I find it hard to believe that $23 million for children's
health coverage is big enough to have been one of the
major sticking points in a $131 billion state budget--especially
when you know what it could have done.
That money, proposed by the governor, would have supported
local children's health initiatives that have proven
to be successful in providing health insurance to our
state's uninsured children, and they are doing it in
a cost-effective way.
Not only have local communities come together to build
these programs, but more than 80 percent of Californians
across the state support ensuring health insurance for
all children.
The $23 million in the budget would have supported these
local programs until a statewide solution to children's
health coverage is in place, which will be realized by
the passage of the Tobacco Tax Act of 2006 in the November
election.
Unfortunately, this issue became politicized, and a
handful of legislators were able to drive politics over
popular and good policy.
Our legislators had the chance to make a difference
and commit to our children -- and they missed it.
Jim Keddy
Californians for Healthy Kids
Sacramento
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