Mark your calendars for JCDS Night for the Barn Players' production of The Boys Next Door!

On Thursday, June 10, JCDS will host a dedicated performance and reception celebrating the Barn Players’ production of The Boys Next Door. This hit Broadway play is a life-affirming comedy about four intellectually disabled men living in a group home and trying to make their way in a complicated world.
The men are supervised by Jack, an increasingly overworked social worker, who is struggling between earnestly caring for these men and trying to live an ordinary life. The play calls us to question our own definition of what “normal” means, and enhances awareness of how many things in everyday life we take for granted.
The Barn Players have been named the #1 Community Theater Group in Kansas City for 4 years in a row by KC Stage.
Tickets for JCDS Night are priced at only $10! Contact Patti Combs at patricia.combs@jocogov.org or 913.826.2670 for reservations.

Restyle Runway was a smashing success!

Thank you to all who came out to support Friends of JCDS at Restyle Runway, our one-of-a-kind fashion show fundraiser that was held on May 10, 2010 at the Overland Park Sheraton Hotel! For more pictures, please go to our Facebook Fan page!

Makes one ponder doesn't it?

http://abcnews.go.com/WhatWouldYouDo/video/stops-grocery-clerk-abuse-10695340?&clipId=10695340&playlistId=-1&cid=siteplayer

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126673833

A fantastic and past boardmember of Friends of JCDS forwarded this link sharing a heartwarming story about incredible folks doing incredible things.

Monday Morning Update

A day late and a dollar short…

Legislators thought they would be done with the FY’11 budget by now, but at this point, there are still some final decisions to be made.

Current status:
· The Senate passed their budget bill.
· The Senate passed a tax bill.
· The House passed their version of a budget bill (would require some $300 million in revenue enhancements).
· The House is still debating their tax bill.

Differences in Senate and House budget bills:
· Senate bill cut a few million dollars from DD
· House bill left holds DD harmless with no cuts and adds an additional $3 million for the waiting list. This are dollars that can be matched by federal dollars with the 30/70 match!

Next step:
· House will work their tax bill today.
· The Senate and House budget bills will go to a conference committee for consensus.
· If the House tax bill is the same as the Senate tax bill, it’s a done deal!
· If the House tax bill is different than the Senate, it will go to conference committee.

I’m off for Topeka this very minute, so stay tuned for final results. Send those positive thoughts towards Topeka!

Warm Regards,
Lurena Mead

Your Monday Morning Update:

· The rotunda of the Capitol is once again bustling with an assortment of people crying “but what about me?”. The corridors are crowded with lobbyists scurrying around to be seen and heard. Advocates for DD, are no different.

What about us? What about those 4,372 individuals on waiting lists? What about the multitude of folks that have had their services cut or eliminated? What about the devastating effect on families? What about us?

· InterHab’s Push Day was held on the Capitol grounds on April 28th with over 500 participants from across the state. We saw many of our friends from Johnson County, agency providers as well as a few parents! A big THANKS to those of you who were able to join us.

· Bob Hess from Fox 4 news, so enjoyed covering our “Walk a Mile” rally, held last week, that he requested being able to cover the rally in Topeka. He did a fabulous job and I believe that we have made a new friend!

Links to recent news:
Fox 4 story about Push Day
KC Star article posted last Monday

· I talked with several Legislators last week and heard reports that “we’re thinking of you, there are a few things in the works, we’ve got some ideas as to how to get you some money”. The reality is that raising or cutting $500 million is a tremendous task, so we will see…we will see.

· Friday morning, the Senate Ways and Means Committee agreed to a tax bill which included a 1% sales tax increase, a business tax increase, an increase in the cigarette tax and a wholesale tobacco product tax increase. This bill will go to the full Senate early this week to be argued, disputed, debated and squabbled. I’m sure that lots of backroom talks are going on at this very moment.

· Late Friday afternoon the State received their tax-only revenue figures which were $65.3 million less than estimated. This means that BOTH the House’s and the Senate’s budget bills need revising. Which will it be…more cuts or more revenue enhancements?

· The Legislature has this week to settle one final budget. They plan on long days and even longer nights.

No TO DO list this week!

I know you know what to do-

*BE THE FLEA*

Warm Regards,
Lurena Mead