Those who fall through the cracks

Denise Oppenhagen
Published: November 16, 2008

Shortly after last week’s column, it occurred to me (well, it actually occurred to a reader who wrote to me and I’ve since been pondering) that there is a group of people who are truly going to fall through
the cracks during this economic downturn. 

In the best of times, the people who rely on social services to make it through each day struggle. They are poor or disabled and need assistance from the government to have food to eat and a place to
sleep. The private sector — nonprofit groups such as ACTS, Project Mend-a-House, Habitat for Humanity — jump in to help shrink the holes that still exist. 

But these are not the best of times. A family that would normally donate food or money to a nonprofit organization to help the needy is struggling itself. The first change they will make to save money is to
reduce or stop donations. This has a ripple effect. The needy who may have been assisted by the nonprofit organizations now have to totally rely on the government. But the government is also struggling
and has to make cuts.  There are certain items that must be provided for — public safety and education. Other than those, budget items are prioritized and those needing social services are usually near
the bottom. 

I was startled to realize how easily I dismissed social services in a previous article. I suggested that one place the Board of County Supervisors (BOCS) could cut is their “slush fund.” Some supervisors
use all or part of these funds to donate to a nonprofit agency. It is easy to forget that there are people who are more disadvantaged than us.

Social services is also generally anonymous during budget talks.  Teachers, firefighters, police officers all have representation during budget negotiations. They have organizations backing them that will
fight for their share of the budget, as well as members who will come out en masse to discuss the budget.  But not so for social services. The people who testify before the BOCS during budget hearings
are generally the volunteers or activists, not those who receive services. Long time county resident Keith Kessler is a notable exception to this. His is a voice that tells what the conditions are like for
those needing social services. The community needs more recipients of social services speaking out, telling us what life is like for them, letting us see that they are not couch potatoes looking for a free
handout but rather hard-working men and women who just can’t get enough money to make it month to month. 

But the public has gotten used to hearing tear-jerker stories from activists fighting for money. For that matter, they have gotten too used to hearing government workers complain about compensation. 
Public servants many times will say that they aren’t in their career for the money, but to improve society and the future. People hear this and then feel that appropriate compensation isn’t needed. But
there is a difference between getting paid less than they would in the private sector and not being able to pay bills every month. How many police officers, firefighters, and teachers are not able to live in
the county because they do not make enough? How many of the best and brightest do not even consider public service because of the lack of adequate compensation? 

This budget year is going to be tough — and that’s an understatement. The schools have a potential budget shortfall in the millions of dollars. The county has a budget shortfall in the millions of dollars as
well. Instead of having a cushion, or “rainy day fund,” the BOCS last year voted to make the tax rate as low as they could get away with.  And now we have to figure out how to pay for it. 

Are there easy answers to this dilemma? No. Every decision is going to have repercussions. For instance, increased class sizes at the schools. This reduces (slightly) the need for additional teachers,
which saves the school system money.  The consequences for the teacher are a higher workload. The consequences for the struggling student in that class? Possible failure, definite lack of individual
attention.  And once a child gets behind, it’s harder for them to catch up.

Before the BOCS publishes the proposed tax rate, we need to weigh in — however you feel.  Sixty-one percent of eligible voters endured long lines to cast a vote last week. This same 61 percent can
definitely make a difference in the BOCS’ deliberations and eventual vote.

We’ve shown we can do it; now we need to do it.

Denise Oppenhagen is a longtime resident of Prince William County and can be reached at .