Oberweis no friend of social services

Sen. Oberweis was recently quoted as stating that he was in agreement with Comptroller Leslie Munger's decision not to pay the legislators until social services were funded. It must be an election year, because Mr. Oberweis hasn't shown himself to be a friend of people who rely on those services.

He recently voted against seven different bills that would have continued the funding for such services as Medicaid services or expanding Medicaid coverage, higher education funding, and a general bill that would have given funds to a large number of different social service agencies. Funding to agencies that provide mental health services, homeless shelters, shelters for battered women, and training services have been curtailed. And we've all heard about the food pantries that are unable to help all the people who ask simply because the funding has been stopped.

Had someone in his family needed these services, no doubt the funds to pay for them would have been available. Unfortunately, the people most in need of social services are the least likely to be able to pay for them. And why are they called "social services?" Because we as a society have always helped those members least able to help themselves.

And what's been Mr. Oberweis' recent action to help this? Why to host a "senior's fair" and "healthy kid's day" event where ice cream was served. Sorry, Mr. Oberweis, but you can't freeze out the very people attending these events who need social services and make up for it, by serving frozen milk products.

Howard R. Katz

Batavia