Urges citizens to vote against Initiative 1029

LETTER - THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

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Initiative 1029, "Safe Quality for Seniors," will be on the November ballot. It mandates new training requirements, a new level of background checks and certification.

Don't be fooled. In reality, I-1029 will harm those caring for the elderly and disabled. It will raise the costs of elder care. It will reduce the pool of qualified caregivers and impose unnecessary, burdensome, and expensive new regulations.

Our caregivers are already screened with state-required background checks and they are well-trained. I-1029 will do nothing to improve the quality of care. But it will cost families plenty.

This initiative was created and backed by the Service Employees Union International and is blatantly self-serving.

With a projected $3.2 billion state budget shortfall, I-1029 would create a new state bureaucracy with a huge cost to the taxpayer. The Washington state Legislature considered the SEIU proposals last legislative session and overwhelmingly rejected them as being unnecessary, burdensome, and too expensive.

Supporters of I-1029 would point to isolated incidents that prompted this initiative with no statistical proof that additional training or background checks would have prevented these incidents from occurring.

If in-home caregiving doesn't impact you in some way today, it will in the future.

Vote no on I-1029.

Jack Arntzen

Everson

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