Corbett Cuts Not Only Heartless but will cost PA. more money in the long-run - Column

[JPZenger]

Last edited Thu Mar 22, 2012, 11:41 AM - Edit history (3)

http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/ronnie_polaneczky/20120322_Ronnie_Polaneczky__Heartless_cuts_impractical__too.html

Excerpts:

Heartless cuts are impractical, too
by Ronnie Polaneczky, Daily News Columnist

""We had a mom whose adult daughter was very disabled. All she could do was sit in a chair," says Dee. "The mom had no help whatsoever. So she attempted suicide. She thought that, if she was dead, her daughter might finally get the services she needed."

"I'm telling you, that's the kind of desperation that's out there." Ironically, as the mother recovered in the hospital from her suicide attempt, the daughter was admitted to the same room because there was no place else for her to stay. Get this: Medicaid paid the bill. "It cost thousands of dollars! That same money could have been used to provide services in the daughter's home," says Dee. "Where's the logic?"

Governor, you said, when you unveiled your budget, that the time had come to "sort the 'must-haves' from the 'nice-to-haves.' " Can you explain how you decided that providing in-home help to intellectually disabled adults is merely a "nice-to-have" service, not an urgent need? Especially for their elderly caregivers?

Please don't argue costs - at least not with Dee. She can document case after case in which at-home services were denied for an intellectually disabled adult who was eventualy placed in a nursing home - whose $240,000 annual bill is shared by the state and the feds."

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There is a trend here. It costs much more to keep someone in prison than to keep them in high school. The food stamp cuts will actually hurt funding of Meals on Wheels. Slashing of funding to public schools increases school real estate taxes. Elimination of the last bit of cash assistance to persons with disabilities will cost the State reimbursement from Social Security disability payments after their disability is approved. Slashing of reimbursements to low-income nursing homes will increase county property taxes....

[JPZenger]

1. More examples of how last year's budget cuts are causing pain - and it will get much worse

Even the richest suburban school districts are proposing to eliminate teaching positions this year. The poorest school districts already slashed staff, and now are trying to determine how they can keep their doors open.
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http://www.workingamerica.org/blog/2012/03/22/door-to-door-corbett-budget-causing-direct-pain-in-pennsylvania/

Excerpts:

"LaTonya Greene, mother and waitress:

'This state budget has crushed education in PA, and we can’t afford for that to happen again this year. My six year-old son was in full-day kindergarten last school year, and he learned a lot. My daughter is in kindergarten now, but it was cut to half-day due to the budget cuts. She’s not learning, and I’m afraid she may have to repeat it.

My two year-old son entered an early childhood education program in September, but because of state budget cuts, it closed in November. To make things worse, some after-school programs here have been cut as well.

The government claims the state broke, but many corporations and gas companies here are getting richer, and not paying taxes. This is being done at the expense of our children’s education.

We need to make sure that our politicians know that we value education and want to see it funded in the state budget. Our elected officials need to put our kids over corporate profits, and finally require corporations to pay their fair share of taxes."

Dr. Ronald Ladick, former Assistant Superintendent:

"The serious defunding of public education in last year’s state budget caused school districts in my area to eliminate after-school tutoring, cut kindergarten, axe staff development trainings and programs, and scale back truancy remedies.

We have to hold our politicians accountable for a decent state budget. They want to keep their jobs, and they’re accountable to us. We need to write letters, call, and meet with our elected officials to demand a decent state budget. "

Cindy Frye, mother:

"State budget cuts are hurting education, overtaxing the little guy, and driving people out of the area. My school district recently merged with another school district, in part to avoid having to raise property taxes… but because of the severe state defunding of education, our property taxes are still going to go up! Houses by me went up for sale after the millage increase was announced. How will there be a future here for the upcoming generation? The good jobs (manufacturing jobs) have been outsourced, education cuts are underway, property taxes are being increased, and public transit is on the chopping block. "

Robert D’Angelo, music teacher:

"I worked as a music teacher for 25 years, and my wife teaches family consumer science as well as gifted education. Due to the severe state budget cuts, programs like music, family consumer science, computer science, and libraries in or near my district have been scaled back significantly.

Computer science and library class are now only available to certain grades. Books aren’t able to be maintained or replaced. Family consumer science classes have been reduced, and they now charge students a fee in order to participate in class (the fee is needed to pay for the food). Our school district can only afford 2 music teachers, and the band and theatre programs are weakened as a result. Instruments are falling apart. The school musicals are have decreased in size and scope, and can no longer include as many kids. Kids who would be involved in theatre if there were space for them are now getting into trouble instead.

People need to speak up for a budget that restores funding to education. We need to let our elected officials know what we’re experiencing so that they can shape a budget that reflects our values and needs."

[PA Democrat]

2. The waiting lists for people with disabilities in PA are at a crisis point.

With no money budgeted to move people off of waiting lists, families are barely coping and desperate. In my almost 2 decades of advocacy for people with disabilities (I have an adult child with autism myself) I have never seen people in the disability community as alarmed.

Groups like the Arc of PA and the Autism Society of Pennsylvania have come about as close as I have ever seen to an outright condemnation of Corbett and his Republican cronies in the legislature.

I urge everyone who cares about a person with disabilities who needs/ will need services to let friends and family members know how the budget cuts affect their loved one. Put a face on these cruel cuts. People are a lot less likely to turn a blind eye when they realize the pain that is being inflicted for "savings" that turn out not to be savings at all in the long run.

[HopeHoops]

3. And the reason he would care would be....

[JPZenger]

4. Corbett signed "stand your ground" shooting law last June

Much controversy has arisen about Florida's "stand your ground" shooting law. The NRA has gone around the country getting them adopted. Corbett and his legislators followed orders and adopted PA's copy of the law in June.

[JPZenger]

5. Stories of pain caused by Pa. budget cuts; Pa. mandatory ultrasound protests

http://crooksandliars.com/kenneth-quinnell/working-america-speaks-out-agains

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Good article with photos about protest at the Capitol against the mandatory ultrasound bill. Co-sponsors keep removing their names from the bill, in response to these protests.

http://blogs.mcall.com/capitol_ideas/2012/03/plenty-of-emotion-during-rally-against-mandatory-ultrasound-bill.html