Summary of the Governor’s Proposed 2026-27 State Budget
SEIU 2015 members reject proposed cuts to care and demand California corporations pay the taxes they owe.
Corporate tax loopholes have allowed wealthy corporations to pay less state taxes than working families for far too long. Now, the Governor is proposing to balance the budget on the backs of hardworking home care workers, older adults, and people with disabilities they care for.
Let’s be clear: corporate tax loopholes contribute to the budget problem. In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) help resolve it.
The IHSS program supports 1.5 million Californians who provide and receive essential home care services. IHSS saves the state money by keeping people safely in their homes and out of costly institutions while ensuring the essential workers caring for California’s aging population receive an income to provide for themselves and their families.
Therefore, we’re calling on our elected state leaders to protect care in our state budget by adopting the following solutions:
- Reject the proposal to shift IHSS hours-per-case growth costs to counties
- This would undermine union efforts to negotiate wage and benefit increases
- This would incentivize counties to cuts to care hours assessed for recipients
- This would worsen inequities between counties
- Reject the proposal to eliminate the IHSS Backup Provider System
- The backup provider system…
- Prevents unnecessary 911 calls and ER visits (paid for by Medi-Cal)
- Acts as a lifeline when regular caregivers are unavailable
- Supports people with urgent care needs
- Low usage reflects barriers to access, including provider shortages and limited consumer awareness, not lack of need.
- Make amendments to protect IHSS recipients during Medi-Cal changes
- The IHSS Residual program serves individuals not eligible for Medi-Cal or those temporarily terminated from Medi-Cal for procedural reasons.
- Under the current proposal, any IHSS recipient who becomes ineligible for Medi‑Cal will be automatically terminated from IHSS.
- The following fixes would protect both consumers and providers:
- Provide Contemporaneous Notices to Recipients and Providers
- Ensure Aid Paid Pending During Appeals
- Add “Reading Mail” as an IHSS Service
- Make California work for working families by making corporations pay the taxes they owe
SEIU 2015 is leading the path to protect our care and future.
Care is essential. Corporate tax loopholes are not. We’re standing together with our allies to secure a future that puts a good life back within reach for every Californian.
Between now and the June 15th budget deadline, SEIU 2015 members will participate in call-in actions and lobby days with legislators, attend budget hearings, and stand together with thousands of long-term care workers on May 20th in Sacramento to oppose cuts to care and demand corporations pay the taxes they owe.
Read more in your language about proposed state budget cuts to long-term care.