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
No comments:
Post a Comment
Share your experiences about developmental disabilities. An open forum on various developmental disability topics is encouraged. Please refrain from comments that are discriminatory or otherwise inappropriate.