To the editor:
Many of our neighbors are waiting anxiously for the next shoe to drop. On top of the reeling struggles they have already been trying to deal with, they know that tough times are coming thanks to the One Big Barbaric Bill. The impacts and implications are brutal. According to the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, up to 377,000 Coloradans could lose their healthcare through Medicaid. Looming SNAP cuts could mean 80,000 Coloradans lose access to food assistance entirely, while another 159,000 see their benefits slashed. This bill also brings 70,000 working class Coloradans one step closer to eviction as federal cuts threaten public housing programs.
These cuts aren’t just morally wrong; they will have a devastating, long-term impact on our local economy. You may be asking, “Why are healthcare, housing, and hunger relief on the line for so many of our neighbors?” The answer is simple: tax breaks for the wealthy. Once again, the working and middle class are expected to believe that trickle-down economics works for them—when in reality, all it delivers are more budget cuts that hurt our community.
Colorado's most recent state budget cut funding by $1.2 billion, with deeper cuts expected in the years to come. In March, the U.S. Department of Agriculture cancelled $13.1 million in funding that had helped schools and food banks buy food from local farms, hurting our kids, families, and farmers. Boulder County also cut $4.4 million from local nonprofits, jeopardizing essential services like emergency shelters, mental health support, and rental assistance.
These cuts aren’t just numbers–they represent real hard working people in Longmont who fight everyday to provide for themselves and their loved ones. They are doing the best they can in a system that too often cuts their basic needs first, while providing more to those who already have far more than they could ever need.
That’s why we need to reform our approach to human services. Our human infrastructure system—like healthcare, housing, and hunger relief—is a mile wide but an inch deep. We have to do more. That’s one of the reasons I decided to run for City Council. There are steps we can take locally to keep people fed, ensure access to care, and make life easier for those who call Longmont home.
- First, we need to double down on what works by expanding eligibility for the Longmont CAReS program so more families can access sales and property tax rebates and get help with rising utility costs.
- Second, it’s time to raise the minimum wage in Longmont to help working families afford the next rent hike, keep food in the fridge, and the lights on.
- Third, to mitigate some of the damage coming from federal, state, and county budget cuts, we need to at least double our local human services budget and stand up for the Longmont nonprofit organizations that perform miracles in our community every day, often with one hand tied behind their back.
These are common-sense policies that our local government can act on today. They are vital investments that start and end with neighbors supporting neighbors.
Sincerely,
Patrick Dillon
