Funding for seniors shouldn’t be cut
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Editor,
Wake up, Montanans, what in this world is going on? Whoa.
As an upstanding senior citizen who is on a fixed low social security income, due to disability, I have just become privy to information you must know about now.
Several years ago, I signed up with the state for Section 8 housing, a waiting program where I went onto a waiting list for housing. Having not heard about my position on the wait list, I contacted the local office for inquiry.
To my amazement, the list and everyone on that list are at a standstill and have been since last February.
All funding for this “help” program for seniors on low incomes, and all senior program funding, stopped. That includes the Councils on Aging.
The local Councils on Aging had to go to outside folks to help them with “fingernail” funds to keep their offices open.
These programs help seniors and disabled people with home care, rides to doctors’ offices and needs, veterans’ needs, help with their bills, paperwork, you name it.
What is our legislature thinking about to stop this funding? What better way to legislate funds, but to and for our seniors who helped build this nation, this state and our communities. And who still, in our older years, volunteer our time and means for our fellow man and communities.
Sure, there are lazy or drug-addicted, alcoholic people (even with children) who are misusing and abusing that very system. But they should be investigated and weeded out — not your seniors; certainly not the very foundations of this state, this beautiful state. Wake up, Montanans. Represent and help us before you become us. Be ashamed and appalled and act now.
I am one very concerned disabled senior lady of Montana.
Mary Jane Decker
Polson
