The retirement-age couples' Social Security benefits put them $22 over the eligibility cap. But Poncelow said without the government-funded health insurance, her HIV-positive husband can't afford the six life-saving medications he takes daily.
Barbara Moeller, a single mother of three with terminal lupus, is dollars away from becoming homeless. When the Midvale woman's eldest child reached 18, she stopped qualifying for certain welfare and Medicaid benefits. She spends $534 - 90 percent of her disability income - on rent, and all it takes is a family emergency to put her behind.
These women headlined a 150-person rally at the Capitol on Monday organized by a coalition of religious groups, educators, health professionals and low-income advocates who want a piece of this year's $400 million surplus.
Their pitch: If lawmakers can afford to spend $90 million on transportation and sock away $45 million in savings, then they can afford to take care of Utah's neediest citizens by bumping up subsidies to child care, Medicaid, housing and education.
"For so many of us, these funding decisions can mean life or death," says Poncelow.
The 23 budget hot spots identified by appropriations subcommittees to help needy families will cost the state $34.3 million. That doesn't include $42.1 million in new money earmarked for schools.
"Some people are surprised I've joined this coalition, asking 'Aren't you on opposite sides?' " said Utah Education Association President Pat Rusk. "Not this year. This year there's enough money for all of us. We should accept nothing less."
Republican legislative leaders and Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. were still tweaking a $9 billion spending plan late Monday. But Senate budget chairman Lyle Hillyard wasn't making any promises.
"We've already set aside $40 million to cover Medicaid inflation. We're trying to honor these priority lists," said the Logan Republican. "But we've got a lot of cattle to feed, and only so much feed to go around."
Proposals to restore funding to the state's mental hospital and dental and vision benefits to Medicaid recipients are among those advocates hope make the cut.
But Sen. Chris Buttars says that's not good enough.
"The Legislature always funds roads and education first. But I really believe that's wrong. We ought to look at our people problems first," said the West Jordan Republican.
Said Democratic Sen. Ed Mayne, who proposes boosting child day care grants by $1.3 million: "We throw out millions and millions of dollars in the name of economic development. But real economic development is our children."
