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Disabled, Elderly and Workers Coalition for Budget Fairness
DEW Coalition
You are invited to join us in delivering our message of budget fairness to the State as the 2002 Legislative session begins. Our State needs to know what the people of Kansas think about the State's budget crisis and how it affects the lives of people with disabilities, the elderly and their workers.
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What: The People's State of the State Address March and Rally
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Where: State Capitol, South steps, Topeka
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When: Monday, January 14, 2002
1:30 TO 4:00 PM
March starts at 1:30 from 5th and Jackson Street, (Topeka Independent Living Resource Center) to the Capitol steps where the People's State of the State Address will begin.
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Contact: Bob Mikesic or Jennifer Schwartz at
Independence, Inc. (785) 841-0333; 1-888-824-7277
bobm@independenceinc.org jennifer@independenceinc.org
for information or transportation to the rally.
(Call by 11 a.m. on Jan. 9th to schedule transportation.)
People with disabilities, the elderly, their workers, the Kansas AFL-CIO, religious organizations, health care associations, people from all over Kansas, are uniting in the cold January weather to make sure their voices are heard. We will not stand for the outrageous way the State of Kansas intends to balance the budget, on our backs.
Disabled, Elderly and Workers Coalition for Budget Fairness
DEW Coalition
CUTS TO SERVICES for PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
BEGIN JANUARY 1
Call to Legislative Advocacy on Major Reductions to SRS Budget
SRS has submitted its budget to the governor's office. The cuts will be devastating for people on the Home and Community Based Services waivers and people with low incomes in need of SRS services. If the legislature does not find more dollars for the SRS budget, people will be forced into institutions or have to go without basic human necessities. We must work together to turn this budget crisis around and allow people to continue to live in our communities.
During a meeting at Independence, Inc. on December 7th, Gina McDonald, CEO of the Kansas Association of Centers for Independent Living (KACIL), shared information about changes to the SRS budget. The reductions are the combined result of economic recession, the September 11th tragedy, and state tax cuts that occurred in the mid 90's.
Listed below are some of the proposed cuts. SRS has already given effective dates for some of these changes.
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SRS issued notice on December 11th that the average attendant care rate on the
Physical Disabilities (PD) waiver was being reduced effective January 1, 2002.
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Increase co-pay for pharmaceuticals for everyone with a medical card. Effective
July, 2002
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Make payment for services in Nursing Facilities/Mental Health (NFMH) only to
individuals with severe and persistent mental illness. Effective March, 2002
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Reduce state aid to Community Mental Health Centers and Community Developmental
Disability Organizations by 25%.
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Reduce Waiver protected income level eligibility threshold from $696 to $475 monthly.
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Freeze access to all Home and Community Based Services waiver programs.
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Eliminate access to the Physical Disability Waiver for persons with a terminal illness.
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Require parental financial participation for children accessing Home and Community
Based Services waiver services.
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Eliminate durable medical equipment for adults, such as wheelchairs and walkers.
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Eliminate vision services, audiology services and dental services for adults.
We are deeply concerned about the proposed reductions to the SRS Budget. It is understood that SRS must present a balanced budget to the Governor. However, as Gina stated in a strong and clear voice,
"We will strongly advocate against any reductions that will directly affect safety and quality of life for Kansans with disabilities and vulnerable children. We recognize that Kansas can no longer fund essential programs with current revenues. We will advocate instead that the legislature consider additional revenue options, with assurances that the most critical services are funded with additional dollars. KACIL and the statewide DEW [Disabled, Elderly and Workers] Coalition will advocate that funding priorities go to programs for children in need, people with disabilities and seniors."
In the end, we taxpayers will still pay for the services being cut. For example, people will be forced to go to emergency rooms with more severe health problems because they did not receive preventative services. These emergency services will be more costly. This will affect local hospital budgets and greatly affect city budgets. The needs will not go away. We will all pay more at the local level. And when people with disabilities on the waiting list for HCBS attendant services are forced to go into nursing homes, the state will pay far more for this nursing home entitlement service. In addition, nearly everyone wants the freedom and quality of life that is part of living in the community.
What You Can Do:
1. Contact your Kansas Legislators and Governor Graves before the legislative session begins on January 14, 2002 and ask them to consider and pursue additional revenue options to remedy the SRS budget cuts.
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Do this by writing a one-page letter to the Governor, your State Rep. and Senator. You can also call your legislators by phone or arrange an in person meeting.
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Tell your story. Explain how you, your family and friends will be affected by the SRS budget cuts.
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If you receive any of the SRS services targeted for a reduction, explain how the services have made a difference in your life. Other people in need should have this same opportunity for community based services.
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Be respectful. Thank them for their time and consideration of your message.
2. Join the DEW (Disabled, Elderly and Workers) Coalition for Budget Fairness. This coalition is organizing and mobilizing to deliver a unified message to address the proposed SRS budget cuts. Contact Bob Mikesic or Jennifer Schwartz at Independence, Inc., 841-0333, 1-888-824-7277 or email: bobm@independenceinc.org jennifer@independenceinc.org to receive legislative updates and learn of more opportunities to advocate for this cause throughout the 2002 legislative session.
3. Attend the statewide DEW Coalition Rally at the State Capitol on Monday, January 14, 2002. The march starts at 1:30 p.m. from 5th and Jackson Street, (Topeka Independent Living Resource Center) and goes to the Capitol steps where the People's State of the State Address will begin. For transportation to the rally, please contact Patty Holt at 841-0333 or 1-888-824-7277 by 11:00 a.m. on January 9th.
How to Contact the Governor and Legislators before Jan. 14th
Governor Bill Graves
State Capitol, Second Floor
Topeka, KS 66612
For security reasons, the Governor's Office is encouraging constituents to email, fax or phone concerns to the Governor. ALL correspondence (envelopes, letters, emails or faxes) must have a return address.
Constituent Services: 1-800-748-4408 (785) 296-6240
TTD 1-800-748-4408
Main Line: 785-296-3232
Fax: (785) 296-7973
Email: governor@ink.org
Kansas
Legislators
Douglas County
Rep.
Barbara Ballard
(District 44)
1532 Alvamar Drive Capitol Office:
LAWRENCE, KS 66047-1605
State Capitol, Room 272-W
Phone: (785) 841-0063 Topeka, KS 66612
ballard@house.state.ks.us
Phone:
785-296-7650
Rep.
Tom Sloan
(District 45)
772 Highway
40
Capitol Office:
LAWRENCE, KS 66049-4174
State Capitol, Room 446-N
Phone: (785) 841-1526
Topeka, KS
66612
Fax: (785) 841-3105
Phone:
785-296-7677
sloan@house.state.ks.us
Rep.
Troy Findley
(District 46)
1208 E 25th Terrace
Capitol Office:
LAWRENCE, KS 66046 State Capitol,
Room 302-S
Phone: (785) 749-1259
Topeka, KS 66612
findley@house.state.ks.us
Phone: 785-296-7686
Rep.
Ralph Tanner
(District 10)
PO Box 647 Capitol Office:
BALDWIN CITY, KS 66006-0647
State Capitol, Room 426-S
Phone: (785) 594-3505 Topeka, KS
66612
tanner@house.state.ks.us
Phone: 785-296-7654
Sen.
Sandy Praeger
(District 2)
3601 Quail Creek Court Capitol Office:
LAWRENCE KS 66047-2134
State Capitol, Room 255-E
Phone: (785) 841-3554
Topeka, KS 66612
praeger@senate.state.ks.us
Phone: 785-296-7364
Sen.
Anthony Hensley
(District 19)
2226 SE Virginia Avenue Capitol Office:
TOPEKA KS 66605-1357 State Capitol, Room 347-N
Phone: (785) 232-1944
Topeka, KS 66612
hensley@senate.state.ks.us
Phone: 785-296-3245
Jefferson County
Rep. Gerald Henry
(District 48)
3515 Neosho Rd. Capitol
Office:
CUMMINGS, KS 66106
State Capitol, Room 284-W
Phone: (913) 367-2050
Topeka, KS 66612
henry@house.state.ks.us
Phone: 785-296-7688
Rep.
Lee Tafanelli
(District 47)
7075 122nd Street Capitol Office:
OZAWKIE, KS 66070
State Capitol, Room 175-W
Phone: 785-945-3808
Topeka, KS 66612
tafanelli@house.state.ks.us
Phone: 785-296-7698
Senator
Bob Lyon
(District 3)
14431 Saline Rd.
Capitol Office:
WINCHESTER, KS 66097 State
Capitol, Room 143-N
Phone: (913) 774-2427
Topeka, KS 66612
lyon@senate.state.ks.us
Phone: 785-296-7372
Franklin
County
Rep. Bill Feuerborn
(District 5)
1411 E 4th St.
Capitol Office:
GARNETT KS 66032-1502
State Capitol, Room 273-W
Phone: (785)448-6457 Topeka,
KS 66612
feureborn@house.state.ks.us
Phone: 785-296-7697
Rep.
Ralph Tanner
(District 10)
PO Box 647 Capitol Office:
BALDWIN CITY, KS 66006-0647
State Capitol, Room 426-S
Phone: (785) 594-3505
Topeka, KS 66612
tanner@house.state.ks.us
Phone: 785-296-7654
Senator Robert Tyson
(District 12)
19984 County Road 1077
Capitol Office:
PARKER, KS 66072 State
Capitol, Room 128-S
Phone: (913)898-6035 Topeka,
KS 66612
tyson@senate.state.ks.us
Phone: 785-296-7380
Fax: (913)898-6035
"If you are not sure who your legislators are, call your County Clerk or visit the Kansas Legislator Directory at
www.accesskansas.org.
All Kansas Centers for Independent Living, Self Advocates of Lawrence, Interhab, NE Kansas Area Agency on Aging, the AFL-CIO and many religious organizations, health care associations and people from all over Kansas are joining the DEW Coalition to make sure our voices are heard. We will not stand for the state budget to be balanced on the backs of people with disabilities, the elderly and persons of very low income."
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