An earlier story was more specific. A Ramsey County judge blocked a provision of the budget deal which cut the pay of Personal Care Attendants from $11/hr. to $9/hr.

That's right. People whose job it is to drive to other people's houses to help them change clothes, use the toilet, bathe and eat were making too much money at $11/hr. So to balance the budget without raising taxes on people who make over $250,000 per year (that would be $125/hr. on a 40 hr/wk. basis), we had to cut their pay to $9/hr.

The earlier story mentioned that many of these people had to rely on welfare and food stamps in order to keep doing the work they were doing for the incapacitated people they served.

What kind of society is this we're creating for ourselves? We haven't indicted a single person for the massive fraud that collapsed our financial system, we won't raise taxes on the 1% of the population that owns over half of all there is to be owned, but we cut the pay of people who help the most helpless among us with the most basic of functions.

If we collapse as a society we just may deserve it.

In the "old" days, families took care of each other without pay, now they expect the government to pay them. $11 for an uneducated caregiver is too much. If they are certified to give such care, that is a different story.

Sure, providing these services is a nice thing to do, but bottom line is that there isn't the money to pay for it. The paychecks will eventually bounce. Argue all you want about how we got here, but the point is here we are and we have to make the hard choices with gov't just like we do for our families. Instead of buying the best tires for my truck, I'm buying the cheapest because the price difference will pay for snow boots for my daughter. Sometimes you just can't have it all.

Ok jellybean, which "old" days are you talking about? And you think $11 an hour is too much for an "uneducated" caregiver. That's not even a livable wage. Back in the "old" days that my grandparents lived in, if you couldn't take care of disabled person, they were sent to a sanitarium or the "poor farm" aka "poor house". They were wards of the state either way. No you conservatives want to throw these people on the street.

It's a load of bull. There is money to pay for these things if we want there to be. But there is no profit in it so we don't want it. I'm amazed at what we've become. Selfish, uncaring, greedy people who could care less about our neighbors. We've been fed the Kool Aid so long we believe it now. Greed and profit is the definition of happiness. We ought to be embarrassed and ashamed.

How sick! Cut aid for people that truly need it but keep paying out MILLIONS to the low-lives in the city. There would be plenty for just causes if the bogus "needy" were made to get a job or leave the state. Oh, there are no jobs out there? Bull.

@Guppy35 - if you want the money to be there, then YOU pay for it. Greed IS expecting the taxpayers to pay for everything instead of paying for it yourself.

Maybe the strategy to getting the government to pay for something is by starting a business that will do something important and labeling yourself a "defense contractor." This is the way to guarantee getting money from the government. We can have a company called "PCA Defense Logistics" and say it's critical to national security and suddenly they will pay out $200 an hour without any auditing or oversight. Brilliant!

Im sure Im headed for a lot of thumbs down but a person in acoma for 6 years? That is too long to keep dragging it on. What quality of life does he have? None! His family is suffering, money is being blown that could be used to help a person who has a chance to overcome their illness. I am not cold hearted and I disagree with cutting off the aid but there are situations where we have to remember that as sad as it is, the person is gone. There is a blank shell lying there using resources that are not going to help in the end.

It's nice that we can build a new vikings stadium with our tax dollars, but those in need cant get basic care. I really think its sad that our priorities are a private football team which over pays everyone in the organization. I would rather my tax dollars go to this then some rich guys inability to build his own money making stadium.