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Click to view video ofA Message From Jan Kral
CEO Shangri-La Corporation
Responding to proposed 30% cut in State Budget for Human Services |
Dear Friends,
By now we've seen the headlines and read some of the hype around the 30% state budget cuts released Friday afternoon. Those cuts remove about $150 million from community DD services in state general funds. That translates into throwing away an additional $200 million in federal funds, for a total loss of $350 million. The cuts include a 10% reduction in DD Residential Rates, abrogating the Staley settlement, and eliminates all DD Vocational/Day Services, DD transportation, COLA, and Family Support (and more, see attached detail for all DD cuts). In short, they are unthinkable.
Everyone, including the Ways and Means Committee, agrees the cuts contained in this 30% reduction budget will not be imposed as presented. They requested this budget to demonstrate what could be on the line if significant revenue is not forthcoming. Some of the cuts will be restored with Federal Stimulus funds; however that still leaves Oregon over $2 billion short of a balanced budget. That's about 11% of the overall budget, unless the May revenue forecast (due mid-May) is even worse, as that's the projection the legislature must use for the 09-11 budget.
Some say that information about the cuts is intended to scare us. The facts are frightening, and we should be scared. Thousands and thousands of Oregonians are already, homeless, hungry, and suffering from untreated illness. The most vulnerable of all, people with disabilities face all this AND a loss of services. Even if the Stimulus Package helps us escape some of the most dreadful cuts in the short term we must take control of our destiny and design a fiscal future that assures Oregonians the opportunity for safe, affordable lifestyles.
The Ways and Means Committee will release their initial budget April 17th. Like the Governor's budget we've already seen, it will contain serious cuts to many human services, including DD, because it will likely be based on cuts alone, instead of a combination of revenue increases and reductions. To gather public input into this approach, and to bolster the community argument for increased revenue, the Ways and Means committee will host six community town halls. While final details are yet to be released, those town halls will be April 20th in Lincoln City, April 21st in Portland, and April 23rd in Salem, with further meetings in Bend, Ashland, and Eugene. We must be there, even though it seems hopeless and the crowds will seem overpowering. We have held our power and energy in reserve and now is the time to do WHATEVER is necessary to save services and the very lives of vulnerable Oregonians.
Legislators must hear from our communities that we oppose serious cuts to human services, especially those that impact Oregon's most vulnerable citizens whom we serve, AND that we support raising revenue to avoid these harmful cuts. There are a host of proposals for increasing Oregon's revenues (sin taxes, corporate tax increase, one-time income tax bump, etc.). This quote from the Speaker of the House makes our responsibility clear: "This will be a very open and transparent process, with multiple opportunities for citizens to weigh in," said Hunt. "Oregonians will see the scope of the cuts. They will see how the state reserve funds and federal stimulus dollars will fill some of the budget hole. And they will see the gap that must be filled with a balanced approach to budget cuts and additional revenue."
I know that we are all very busy trying to make do with what we have now, but I promise you we have nothing more important than joining together to preserve what little we have and to tell the story of what is needed. Silence in the face of this storm is acquiesce and we must NEVER acquiesce to cuts that will threaten the lives and well being of those we support and serve. I am counting on you to show up for the meetings closest to you. Do your best to get the opportunity to testify. ORA will provide you with materials to identify our group.
It is time to get letters to your editors. I have attached 3 sample letters to this communication, make them your own and send them NOW! Please help your Staff, families and consumers advocate for themselves. Oregonian must courageously support our legislators in finding new and lasting solutions to Oregon's on-going financial crisis.
Contact Jan Kral
503-581-1732 ext 312
jkral@shangrilacorp.org
