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June 1, 1981 <br /> Proposed Position Statement Regarding <br /> State Funding to the County for Human Services <br /> Statement of Concern <br /> 1. Federal budget reductions have severely reduced Orange <br /> County's ability to provide human services. <br /> 2. State government appears to be delaying budget decisions <br /> until the final federal budget is passed, creating <br /> additional uncertainty about local programs and services. <br /> 3. Federal and state funding reductions could force counties <br /> out of compliance with mandatory regulations, threatening <br /> to shift the burden for compliance to the local <br /> property tax payer. <br /> 4. Regulatory reform, which could provide more flexibility <br /> for local government, is still being discussed and offers <br /> little assistance for the near future. <br /> 5. It appears likely that federal funds will, be attached to <br /> block grants provided to the state. But how the state <br /> will provide funds to the counties remains undecided. <br /> 6. Maintenance of Effort clauses, such as that put on In- <br /> Home services, restricts the County's ability to respond <br /> responsibly to budget cuts in other areas. <br /> 7. Although the Immediate impact of budget cuts can be pre- <br /> dicted in terms of service hours, staff and dollars, <br /> there are likely to be unforeseen consequences to the <br /> - human services system. <br /> As a result, Orange County finds itself in a position of facing <br /> serious reductions in services while having little flexibility <br /> to respond creatively and to reshape its programs to best meet <br /> local needs. <br /> Policy Statement <br /> Orange County takes pride in its history of providing human <br /> services to its citizens. Despite the reduction in funds, the <br /> County can continue to provide effective services if it can have <br /> flexibility in determining local need and allocating funds. To <br /> this end the Orange County Board of Commissioners support the <br /> following policies: <br /> 1. Provision of block grants for human services by the state <br /> to the County. Regulations on the use of these grants <br /> should be no more restrictive than federal law and state <br /> statute require. <br /> 2. Regulatory reform to allow. the County to distribute blImar <br /> service funds in the most flexible manner. Thia_fenaudes --- <br /> the removal of unrealistic formulas, arbitrary rules and <br /> Maintenance of Effort clauses on funds provided to the <br /> County by the state, with the exception of income main- <br /> tenance programs. <br /> 11.111111111111.111111111111 <br />