Subsidization of illegality

[ilbegone]

Overview of Low-Income Restructuring Legislation and Implementation

...In June of 2004, a new commission-approved program went into effect that allows an electric bill discount to low- to middle-income households of three or more people. Under the program, called Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA), an eligible household of four may earn from $43,201 to $54,000 per year in 2008-09. The program was approved by the PUC in a November 2003 order.

Program participants save on their electric bills by being billed at a lower rate. FERA participants’ Tier 3 usage (131 percent to 200 percent of baseline) is billed at Tier 2 rates. Usage in Tier 4 (201-300 percent of baseline) and Tier 5 (above 300 percent of baseline) continues to be billed at the original rates for those tiers. Utilities and the CPUC have noted that more than one third of residential customers do not exceed usage above 130 percent of baseline. (Baseline is a quantity of electricity or gas that is billed at the lowest rate. By law, the commission must set baseline quantities for gas and electricity at a "significant portion of the reasonable energy needs of the average residential customer.")

In approving FERA, the commission heeded recommendations from the advocacy groups The Utility Reform Network (TURN) and Latino Issues Forum who testified that the existing baseline determination method was unfair because the household size of residential customers wasn’t taken into account. As a result, a large family was expected to use the same amount of energy as a single person living alone, and often large families exceeded the baseline allowance and paid more expensive rates, the advocates testified.

The program applies only to the three larger utilities: PGE, SCE and SDG&E. PGE estimated in 2004 that approximately 200,000 of its 4.3 million residential customers met the FERA eligibility requirements. At the end of 2007, FERA served about 34,000 households and the utilities spent about $3.7 million for benefits...




...In a decision issued in 2007, the commission set forth a new direction for LIEE, stating that in addition to promoting the quality of life of eligible customers, it should serve as a “resource program,” that is, it should save energy, help limit the need for new power plants, and help curb greenhouse gas emissions.

Under the commission's long-term vision for LIEE, as stated in D.07-12-051, utilities must provide all eligible LIEE customers the opportunity to participate in LIEE programs and to offer those who wish to participate all cost-effective energy efficiency measures in their residences by 2020.

The decision directed the utilities to emphasize the following in their future programs: (1) treat LIEE as a resource program by focusing on energy savings, in addition to customers’ quality of life, (2) propose substantial budget increases so as to provide LIEE measures for 25 percent of eligible and willing customers in the 2009-11 period, (3) emphasize long term and enduring savings, rather than quick fixes, and (4) focus LIEE programs on customers with high energy use, while continuing to serve all eligible low-income populations...


Much more: http://liheap.ncat.org/dereg/states/california.htm

[ilbegone]

¿Qué es Medi-Cal?

• Cobertura médica para las personas que califiquen, vivan en California y tengan ingresos y recursos por debajo de los límites establecidos
Medical coverage for low income people who live in California and qualify

¿Quién puede recibir Medi-Cal?
[Who is able to receive Medi - Cal?]

• Personas que tengan 65 años de edad o más [65 or older]
• Personas menores de 21 años Under 21
• Algunos adultos que tengan entre 21 y 65 años de edad si tienen hijos menores viviendo con ellos Some adults between 21 and 65 having minor children living with them
• Personas ciegas o incapacitadas [Blind or handicapped people]
• Mujeres embarazadas [Pregnant women] (
• Personas que estén recibiendo atención en un hogar de ancianos [Residents of an old folks home]
• Ciertos refugiados, asilados y algunas personas que vienen de Cuba o Haití [Certain refugees, (asylum seekers or asylum grantees?) and some people from Cuba or Haiti]


¿Tengo que ser ciudadano de los EE.UU. para conseguir Medi-Cal?
[Do I have to be a citizen of the United States to receive Medi - Cal?]


• No, inmigrantes legales o ilegales pueden calificar para Medi-Cal. Algunas personas podrán recibir únicamente servicios relacionados con el embarazo o de emergencia; otras son elegibles para beneficios completos de Medi-Cal, dependiendo de su condición de inmigrante

[No, legal or illegal immigrants can qualify for Medi - Cal. Some people can only receive pregnancy or emergency services; others are eligible for complete Medi - Cal benefits depending on the immigrant's condition.

Cuando Medi-Cal se refiere a “hijos menores”, ¿qué quiere decir? When Medi - Cal refers to minor children, who are they talking about?

• Un hijo casado o soltero menor de 21 años de edad que viva en su casa o en un centro de estudios lejos del hogar

[A minor ("hijo" as used here probably has a broad enough application to mean just about any minor, related or not, I'm not sure) married or single under 21 living in the house or away at college]

¿Qué debo hacer para conseguir cobertura de Medi-Cal? What do we need to do to recieve Medi - Cal?

• Llene y envíe por correo la solicitud que se adjunta Fill out and mail application, (no need to go in)
• Envíe copia de los documentos que se requieren (vea las instrucciones) [Mail a copy of the required documents]

¿Cómo podemos mi familia y yo calificar para la cobertura de Medi-Cal?
[ how do my family and I qualify for Medi - Cal coverage?]

Si usted pertenece a uno de los grupos que se mencionan más arriba, bajo el título
[If you belong to a group mentioned above]


“¿Quién puede recibir Medi-Cal?”:

• Nosotros estudiaremos sus ingresos y descontaremos algunos de los
gastos que usted paga para decidir cuales son los ingresos de su
familia que cuentan para Medi-Cal
(I'm not sure how to translate this paragraph, I'm not fluent, I think it's something like this: ) [We review the (medical bills) you have paid to decide for which ones you will be reimbursed by Medi - Cal] (presumably 100% if qualified)

• Tomamos en consideración las cosas que usted y su familia poseen
(cuentas bancarias, vehículos, etc.) para ver si cumplen con el límite
de recursos establecidos. [We take into consideration your possesions (bank accounts, vehicles, etc.) to see if you are within the required limits] Por favor, tenga en cuenta que no todas las cosas que usted o su familia poseen se toman en consideración;
la oficina local de asistencia social podrá darle mayor información (Basically) [Your posessions aren't necessarily a barrier to qualifying for Medi - Cal, your local social assistance office has more information]

Si yo no pertenezco a ninguno de los grupos cubiertos, ¿cómo puedo obtener cobertura? [If I'm not in one of the groups listed, how do I obtain coverage?]
• Póngase en contacto con la oficina local de asistencia social para obtener información sobre los servicios médicos de su condado Contact the local social assistance office for information about medical services in your county

MC 210

http://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/medi...troduction.pdf

[Jeanfromfillmore]

Originally Posted by ilbegone

Overview of Low-Income Restructuring Legislation and Implementation

...In June of 2004, a new commission-approved program went into effect that allows an electric bill discount to low- to middle-income households of three or more people. Under the program, called Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA), an eligible household of four may earn from $43,201 to $54,000 per year in 2008-09. The program was approved by the PUC in a November 2003 order.

Program participants save on their electric bills by being billed at a lower rate. FERA participants’ Tier 3 usage (131 percent to 200 percent of baseline) is billed at Tier 2 rates. Usage in Tier 4 (201-300 percent of baseline) and Tier 5 (above 300 percent of baseline) continues to be billed at the original rates for those tiers. Utilities and the CPUC have noted that more than one third of residential customers do not exceed usage above 130 percent of baseline. (Baseline is a quantity of electricity or gas that is billed at the lowest rate. By law, the commission must set baseline quantities for gas and electricity at a "significant portion of the reasonable energy needs of the average residential customer.")

In approving FERA, the commission heeded recommendations from the advocacy groups The Utility Reform Network (TURN) and Latino Issues Forum who testified that the existing baseline determination method was unfair because the household size of residential customers wasn’t taken into account. As a result, a large family was expected to use the same amount of energy as a single person living alone, and often large families exceeded the baseline allowance and paid more expensive rates, the advocates testified.

The program applies only to the three larger utilities: PGE, SCE and SDG&E. PGE estimated in 2004 that approximately 200,000 of its 4.3 million residential customers met the FERA eligibility requirements. At the end of 2007, FERA served about 34,000 households and the utilities spent about $3.7 million for benefits...




...In a decision issued in 2007, the commission set forth a new direction for LIEE, stating that in addition to promoting the quality of life of eligible customers, it should serve as a “resource program,” that is, it should save energy, help limit the need for new power plants, and help curb greenhouse gas emissions.

Under the commission's long-term vision for LIEE, as stated in D.07-12-051, utilities must provide all eligible LIEE customers the opportunity to participate in LIEE programs and to offer those who wish to participate all cost-effective energy efficiency measures in their residences by 2020.

The decision directed the utilities to emphasize the following in their future programs: (1) treat LIEE as a resource program by focusing on energy savings, in addition to customers’ quality of life, (2) propose substantial budget increases so as to provide LIEE measures for 25 percent of eligible and willing customers in the 2009-11 period, (3) emphasize long term and enduring savings, rather than quick fixes, and (4) focus LIEE programs on customers with high energy use, while continuing to serve all eligible low-income populations...


Much more: http://liheap.ncat.org/dereg/states/california.htm

In addition to the FERA program, there's the CARE California Alternate Rate for Energy which provides a 20% or more discount on the electric and gas bill every month for income qualified customers. You do not have to be legally in this country to receive this discount. And PG&E has partnered up with the Mexican Consulate in Fresno and San Francisco, along with creating a lobby informational video communicating LIEE and CARE programs, and conducted joint press conferences with them.

They use Direct Mail letters sent to targeted neighborhoods (high Hispanic/immigrant) notifying them of upcoming LIEE program events.

What this means is these 'neighborhoods' and those using the Mexican Consulate are notified first of any free microwave, refrigerator/appliance, home weatherstripping or improvements, heating or air conditioning repair or replacement etc.

The penetration rate in the areas with a high illegal population is the highest because these utility companies focus on getting them informed first and foremost. I know because I've seen their numbers. And ask yourself why they felt the need to partner up with those Mexican Consulates.

The cost of funding these programs is applied to everyone who pays a utility bill in California. Yes, it's there on your bill, under a charge call "programs". It's often about $1.30 or more. Small enough that most don't question it.

Another thing I might point out is that those on CARE do not pay a Late Payment Charge. Everyone else is charged a .9% late fee, but not when you're on CARE. So take some time to look at your utility bills and ask yourself who else is taking money from you to help support the illegals here in California. The answer is just as close as you utility bills.

[Don]

Visit any public agency, hospital, courthouse, public school and look at the people there receiving public assistance. There are hardly any Americans left in America.

I know this is "anecdotal" and not the kind of info you wanted, but sometimes the most obvious things are true precisely because they are so obvious.

[ilbegone]

Educators publicize law helping undocumented students go to college

December 13, 2009

By IMRAN GHORI
The Press-Enterprise

Going to college seemed out of reach for Andrea Galicia while she was a student at Colton High School.

That was until she learned about AB 540, a state law that allows undocumented students to pay resident fees at public colleges and universities instead of the more expensive out-of-state fees.

Galicia, 19, is finishing her second year at San Bernardino Valley College and plans to start next semester at Cal State San Bernardino, where she will major in English.

"If it weren't for this law, it would be a lot of money," she said. "I probably wouldn't be able to go to college."

Gil Navarro, a member of the San Bernardino County Board of Education, said he believes more needs to be done to publicize the 8-year-old law. He has produced a brochure in English and Spanish that is being distributed by county education officials and he has gone before district school boards in Colton and Rialto, urging them to do more.

Navarro said he took up the issue because he heard from students and parents who were unaware of the tuition exemption and went into debt or decided not to go to college because of the cost. Some students end up dropping out of high school because they don't think they'll be able to go to college, he said.

"There's a lot of folks out there that don't know of this golden opportunity for their children," he said.

Non-residents pay hundreds or thousands of dollars more a year than students who are residents of California. Under AB 540, students who aren't legal residents of the United States but graduated from a California high school that they attended for at least three years can still get in-state tuition. To qualify they must file an affidavit with their college or university promising to apply for legal immigration status.

Rialto resident Alondra Velasco, 21, a student at San Bernardino Valley College, said she would have had to pay $97 per unit instead of $26 per unit if not for AB 540. Velasco takes about 18 units of coursework per semester, so it's a difference of more than $2,500 a year.

She said she couldn't afford college if she had to pay the higher fees.

"It's a big difference," she said.

Groups that oppose illegal immigrants are critical of the law and the use of local resources to help undocumented students.

Raymond Herrera, a Victorville resident and founder and president of We the People, called the law "an abomination."

"This is outright pandering to illegal immigrants," he said.

Navarro said students shouldn't be penalized for their parents' decisions. He said it makes more sense to encourage students to pursue higher education and become productive members of their community.

The Rialto Unified School District has begun distributing the brochures to students and parents, said Kent Taylor, area director for the district.

The Colton Joint Unified School District board asked its staff to increase informational efforts after Navarro and some students spoke about the issue at a September meeting.

Jerry Almendarez, assistant superintendent for human resources, said the district is putting together a program where college student interns will offer advice to high school students. The program will include information on AB 540, he said. The district also sends information in the mail to parents.

In the San Bernardino City Unified School District, program information is included in an annual publication mailed to parents in Spanish and English, said district spokeswoman Linda Bardere.

She and the other school officials say they haven't run into any controversy over their efforts.

Taylor said the Rialto district sees it as no different than providing information on scholarships to students.

"This is just another resource that helps students to attend college and ultimately get their degree," he said.

[Jeanfromfillmore]

This article doesn't mention the BOG fee waver. Here's what it is:

Board of Governors (BOG) Fee Waiver Application

For eligible California residents, the Board of Governors (BOG) Fee Waiver permits enrollment fees to be waived. (Assistance for the purchase of books and supplies must be applied for separately.)

Many California Community Colleges offer online BOG Fee Waiver applications through CCCApply. When you use these online applications, the data you've entered in CCCApply will be transferred automatically, making your application much easier and faster.


Basically the illegals get free tuition at community colleges. Then they apply for grants to go to the university of their choice if they get accepted. All this on your tax dime. But don't forget those students throwing a fit because their tuition costs were raised. Those are basically the same students who rallied/protested to get the illegals instate tuition and free education. Now they're paying the price and they aren't happy. Toooooo bad.