KTLA News: "Funding crisis in Los Angeles County threatens home care for the disabled" (1975)

[Stan Chambers:] Tonette Tribble is a former officer of the Foreign Service. While on a technical assistance mission in Latin America, she was struck down by polio. That was 14 years ago. Today she's a quadriplegic. She's able to live in her Wilshire District home instead of residing in a healthcare institution because she receives help from the Homemaker Chore Program. Under this government effort, a disabled person receives special grants to hire someone to help them with their everyday activities. Laura Cordova bathes her, feeds her and helps her get in and out of the iron lung. There are 19,000 people in Los Angeles County like Tonette Tribble, who are helped by this program. I asked her what it means to her. [Tribble:] If it does cease, it would be really a death sentence. Because without the assistance here in the home, or unless they instituted a very expensive program in the institutions, to sustain all these and technical things, it would be fatal there. And I've been told by more than one doctor that I probably could not survive more than three weeks at an institution. [Chambers:] Attorneys for the Rights of Disabled called a news conference this morning to announce a suit on her behalf against Governor Brown and three other state and county officials. [Attorney:] Well, usually you can't sue a governor to make him sign a bill because he has discretion to sign it or not to sign it. But in this particular instance, it's one of the few cases that state and federal law required that this money be appropriated. So, in this particular instance, he essentially has no discretion. He either has to sign the bill or the legislature has to come up with a new bill appropriating the proper amount of money to fund this particular service. [Chambers:] Today's suit was filed against the Governor because current law requires that the state provide funding for the program. Attorneys for the disabled say the Governor is refusing to comply with the law. Stan Chambers, News Five, reporting. [Tribble, almost inaudible:] … and up in the […] ... going to get in. I'm going to cross my arms in front and [...] ... and show them. When they begin, you - I'll ask you, you know if, if you can put me in the tank now, and put air in my mouth. But let them keep it there. So you... [...] opening it. They're taking pictures now, dear. Oh, you're on [...] oh. [Speaker:] You want my name? My name is Molly Pinkowski [?]. I'm from that comm - 98B244. immediately, which would provide 3.4 million dollars for Homemaker Chore Program. There are 19,000 cases who are receiving Homemaker Chore services in L.A. County. The projected budget is 2.264 million dollars. That's [...] for June only. L.A. County is one million dollars short for June. That is assuming that one - that one... [Attorney:] ...is essentially the old Attendant Care Program. And it operates by the state making payments to the recipients, and then the recipients hiring attendants in order to take care of them, you know, to help them bathe, to run errands for 'em, to do all the tasks that they are unable to do because of their disability. The crisis has happened at this point in time because Los Angeles County does not have the funds in order to make the budget of 2.264 million dollars for the month of June. So this means unless they get the money by May 15th, they will have to start sending out termination notices to all the people that are on this program. Or will have to reduce the people on this program to a lower amount than they're presently receiving. [Man, inaudible] [Reporter:] Why would a suit be effective at this particular point? [Lawyer:] Well at the present time, there is a bill on Governor Brown's desk which provides for three point more, 3.4 million dollars in additional funds. This would provide Los Angeles County with enough funds in order to make the payroll for June. But what has happened, is that from all indication, Governor Brown has opposed this bill all the way through in its legislative process. And we've gotten no indication that he intends to sign it. In fact, last Wednesday, we met with the Department of Health and the Undersecretary of the Health and Welfare Agency, and they would give us no indication whether the Governor intends to sign it or not, but rather gave us indications to the contrary. And they also said that the only way you're going to get anything out of this administration, is with court orders. [Reporter #2:] Miss Ackel [?], is there anything novel about suing the Governor and to try to force him to sign a bill? [Man]: Sounds like they're quite involved circumstances, would you... [Tribble:] Do you want to open it first? Or do you want to see the opening of it? [Cordova:] All ready to go in? [Tribble:] Yes, I'm ready now. Is the water running on the... iron lung? [Chambers:] What does this program mean to you? [Tribble:] It's a matter of life or death. Because the services for life-sustaining and if it were necessary to go to an institution, that would amount to the equivalent of incarceration for life. But though without possibility of parole and without committing a crime or being convicted of one. So I'm very terrified of the whole thing, of the cessation of the program, and also ... that I can best survive. [Chambers:] Under this program, all of the emergency things are covered. Is that correct? [Tribble:] That's right. They are. [Chambers:] Time to [...] time. [Tribble:] Well, that's fine. [Chambers:] Is it? [Tribble:] Yes. [Chambers:] Then, possibly...