Cuts threaten developmentally disabled

By Cami Weaver

Yes, we can!

Boy, were those exciting words Barack Obama spoke to thousands of Americans in Chicago and millions more of us watching on television after the new president-elect was declared the winner on election night.

There are so many things in our country that need fixing and so many opportunities for building a brighter future. And then, just like that, we have a new champion who says, “Yes we can!”

So much hope. But so short-lived.

It’s hard enough to try to understand the global economic meltdown. And now, we’re told California’s state budget that was late, but passed in September, is in much deeper trouble than we ever dreamed. The

$15 billion crunch we thought we dealt with is now projected to hit $28 billion over the next two years.

And the political leadership is saying, “No we can’t!”

Thus, the budget fight resumes.

Politicians in Sacramento have gone to their usual corners. Democrats say we have to raise revenues. No way, say stalwart anti-tax Republicans, we have to cut spending. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger says we have to do both. Some leaders say Washington needs to give California one of those bailouts everybody is looking for.

Meanwhile, here at Becoming Independent the battle continues on behalf of people living with developmental disabilities. Our agency, the largest such nonprofit organization in the North Bay serving this special group of citizens, provides assistance to some 1,100 men, women and children in Sonoma, Solano and Napa counties.

We are dedicated to making sure people with disabilities enjoy all the opportunities they can manage. We help them find work. We help them to live as independent as possible. We challenge their creative talents through the arts. We open up the world of education to them. We advocate for their civil rights.

In the process of all this, Becoming Independent helps support a community of workers and taxpayers, people who are living meaningful lives and contributing to society just like everybody else, except that they are doing it while overcoming huge challenges caused by cognitive disabilities, autism, Down syndrome, learning and physical disabilities, or some other condition they were born with.

Now, the state is facing this fiscal and economic calamity and among the first solutions is to reduce the amount of money that supports the people Becoming Independent and other organizations like ours exist to help.

The governor’s latest budget proposal calls for cutting billions of dollars and much of the cutting begins very low on the economic ladder.

People with disabilities will have their SSI checks cut by $40. That may not sound like a lot until you realize that they’re living on only $870 a month now.

North Bay Regional Center, part of a network of state centers that distributes state funds to agencies like Becoming Independent throughout California, will be cut 3 percent. We can expect that North Bay, which was on track to provide Becoming Independent with about $13.3 million this year, will pass that 3 percent cut on to Becoming Independent, a $408,000 revenue reduction.

Many of the people Becoming Independent serves are able to live independently thanks to the help of already very low paid “in-home supportive services” workers. These workers help people with disabilities prepare meals, bathe, and run their small households. The governor suggests reducing state support for these indispensable workers to minimum wage plus 60 cents an hour for health benefits. How long can these workers survive on that income?

Becoming Independent is not a special case in this budget nightmare, although our cause is very special. Many other vital organizations that serve disabled people and others with serious physical, emotional and other challenges are facing funding shortfalls. So are public schools and higher education. So are our cities.

I’m not sure just what Sacramento or Washington should do to solve this financial crisis. But here at Becoming Independent, we have no choice but to continue to provide services for the people in our community who have developmental disabilities.

Eliminating services is just not an option.

Is the state suggesting that we cut people as the legislature cuts funds? Our answer is simple.

No, we won’t.

(Weaver is CEO of Becoming Independent.)

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