WASHINGTON, D.C. – Some La Plata County public agency officials are expressing worries about how federal budget cuts proposed by President Donald Trump might disrupt local programs to help the poor, disabled and school districts.
Sheila Casey, director for La Plata County Senior Services, said demand for senior services is growing, so budget cuts would hurt.
“It’s a terrible thing,” Casey said. “These programs are for the most vulnerable people in our community.”
Trump’s budget proposal would reduce funding for specific programs such as food stamps. In 2015, about 14 percent of La Plata County residents were eligible for the state-administered Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, in which 3,447 residents are enrolled in food stamps, according to a study from Hunger Free Colorado.
One of the largest proposed department cuts is to Health and Human Services, which allocates funding for Medicaid, disability programs and Meals on Wheels. In 2016, the meal program provided nearly 23,000 meals in La Plata County.
“These meals allow for people to live in the comfort of their own home and stay independent for longer,” Casey said.
With 25 percent of La Plata County’s population older than 60 years, Casey said the Meals on Wheels program cuts could impact many people.
The budget also reduces the Department of Education’s finances by 13.5 percent. Public schools rely directly on federal funding for special education, school lunches and employees’ retirement funds.
Durango School District 9-R spokeswoman Julie Popp said it is hard to tell how hard the impact of such a cut would be, because the district relies on a combination of local, state and federal finances. The district expects to expand programs next school year because local voters approved a property tax increase that allowed a budget increase of $1.9 million.
A president’s budget proposal is never passed without changes. It is seen as a roadmap for the priorities of the administration. The national debt is just over $19 trillion, and Trump promised on the campaign trail to eliminate it in eight years.
Mike Mulvaney, the budget director, said he fully expects there to be changes to the blueprint.
“Do I expect them to adopt this 100 percent, wholeheartedly, without any change? Absolutely not,” Mulvaney said during May 22 news conference. “Do I expect them to work with the administration on trying to figure out places where we’re on the same page? Absolutely.”
Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colorado, said it is important to remember Congress sets funding levels, and he believes Congress will work together to move forward from the initial budget proposal.
“As Congress works on its budget, I will speak up for programs that are important to Colorado, while also identifying what duplicative and unnecessary programs can be cut,” Gardner said.
Democrats have openly criticized the proposal and some Republicans have hung back from supporting it publicly.
Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colorado, said the proposal abandons the most vulnerable in communities.
“The president’s budget is completely out of step with Colorado’s priorities,” he said. “Over the past several months, I’ve not heard a single Coloradan ask for cuts to health care, education, or clean energy.”
House Rep. Scott Tipton R-Cortez, said he welcomed the president’s input on federal spending priorities and a shift to focus on resources that are truly needed.
“Our country is at a critical junction, and the federal government cannot continue to spend money it doesn’t have,” Tipton said.
Josephine Peterson is a reporting intern for The Durango Herald in Washington, D.C., and a recent graduate of American University. Reach her at jpeterson@durangoherald.com and follow her on Twitter @jopeterson93.
