WHEREAS, the Governor of Pennsylvania has proposed a devastating
set of cuts in General Assistance for older poor Pennsylvanians;
WHEREAS, as a result of these proposed cuts, approximately
30,000 people aged 45 to 65 would be given only two months of
benefits every two years, instead of their current subsistence
benefits of roughly $200 per month;  WHEREAS, the proposed cuts
would also provide that approximately 150,000 unemployed people
between the ages of 18 and 45 will get only two months of
benefits every two years instead of their current benefits of
roughly $200 three months each year (approximately 35% of these
people are from Philadelphia);  WHEREAS, many of these people
will be completely ineligible for any benefits for two years
because the cuts will be retroactive to July 1, 1993 -- and
benefits that they received before the proposal was made will be
counted against them;  WHEREAS, a similar cut in assistance to
people aged 18 to 45 in 1980 (referred to as Thornfare) resulted
in the immediate doub