Via this comes this:

Gov. Schwarzenegger on Friday announced a $1.75 million state grant to help [California crop] freeze victims with rent, mortgage and utility payments... The money will be distributed by La Cooperativa Campesina de California, a nonprofit association that represents community-based organizations that provide services for migrant and seasonal farmworkers.

I was expecting LCC to be a small outfit, but apparently they are not (link; excerpts in the extended entry). They say that their association members have "combined budgets of over $100,000,000". While they dance around the subject, they more or less admit that most of those they serve are illegal aliens ("Farmworkers in California are primarily young, recent immigrants from Mexico who have little education and poor English skills... [they are] suspicious of government agencies").

They also say that those workers have very low incomes. The bottom line here is that - hide it behind a "humanitarian" veneer all you want - the state of California is subsidizing a serf class in order to prop up corrupt growers, some of whom have links to Arnold Schwarzenegger. The program didn't start with Arnie, but he's doing all he can to keep it going.

I note also that Brenda Walker has coined the name "Governor Spendinator", but perhaps "Governor Crookinator" or "Governor Corporatist" might be better terms.

Previously:
Schwarzenegger: corporatism for corrupt growers
Schwarzenegger: aid for illegal alien farmworkers

Here are excerpts from the LCC's about page:

La Cooperativa Campesina de California is the statewide association of service providers implementing Workforce Investment Act Title I Section 167 and CSBG farmworker service programs. La Cooperativa is a California 501 c (3) corporation. The Board of Directors consists of representatives from member agencies and from the Employment Development Department (EDD).

...Association capability includes... Combined budgets of over $100,000,000...

La Cooperativa Members
* Center for Employment Training
* California Human Development corporation
* Central Valley Opportunity Center
* Employers' Training Resource
* Proteus Inc.
* Employment Development Department

...Farmworkers in California are primarily young, recent immigrants from Mexico who have little education and poor English skills. Most farmworkers are poor. Annual incomes are very low due primarily to seasonal employment. Three quarters of California farmworkers earn less than $10,000 per year. The average farmworkers in California earns $6.75 per hour and is out of work for 26 weeks a year...

...Farmworkers are generally poorly served by mainstream social services agencies and are suspicious of government agencies...

...La Cooperativa Also maintains extensive links with state and federal agencies that assist with both policy development and farmworker services. These agencies include:
* Governor's Office
* Lieutenant Governor’s Office
* State Legislature
* Department of Education
* Community Colleges
* Health and Human Services Agency
* Department of Community Services and Development
* Office of Emergency Services
* Department of Business Housing and Transportation
* EDD Job Services
* Health Services