VT Disability Budget Cuts
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Author:
n/a -
Send To:
Governor Douglas & Vermont Legislature
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Sponsored By:
AAWARE -
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The current financial crisis is causing the state of Vermont to consider further reductions in programs affecting some of our most vulnerable families and individuals. These budget cuts, if implemented, will have a devastating impact on individuals with disabilities and on the communities in which they live.
These are difficult times. However, the reality for many individuals with disabilities and their families is that even the best of times are difficult. During times like this we need more help, not less. Vermonters need to be working, not laid off from agencies that serve people when they are most in need.
People with disabilities want to learn, want to work and want to be accepted as members of their communities.
Through no fault of their own, many people with disabilities face many obstacles in their ability to access daily activities that many others take for granted. Access to basic activiies would be impossible for many without the current programs and services now in place. These programs and services keep people healthy and in their communities. They are cost effective and consistent with the values held by most Vermonters.
We, the undersigned, urge our government not to make cuts to programs and services that serve people with disabilities and their families. We urge the government to instead look to other funding sources and to address the revenue shortfall to get Vermont through this temporary financial crisis.
These are difficult times. However, the reality for many individuals with disabilities and their families is that even the best of times are difficult. During times like this we need more help, not less. Vermonters need to be working, not laid off from agencies that serve people when they are most in need.
People with disabilities want to learn, want to work and want to be accepted as members of their communities.
Through no fault of their own, many people with disabilities face many obstacles in their ability to access daily activities that many others take for granted. Access to basic activiies would be impossible for many without the current programs and services now in place. These programs and services keep people healthy and in their communities. They are cost effective and consistent with the values held by most Vermonters.
We, the undersigned, urge our government not to make cuts to programs and services that serve people with disabilities and their families. We urge the government to instead look to other funding sources and to address the revenue shortfall to get Vermont through this temporary financial crisis.
418 Signatures
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Claudia Pringles
- Town/City
- Montpelier
- County
- Washington
- Comments
- I am a parent of a daughter on the autism spectrum with significant needs. Despite all of the work we do with her at home and at school, she will still need support as an adult in order to be a functioning member of the community. My daughter cannot advocate for herself.
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Morgan W. Brown
- Town/City
- Montpelier
- County
- Washington
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Jane Flowers
- Town/City
- south burlington
- County
- chittenden
- Comments
- В
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Rick Powell
- County
- Washington
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Gwendolyn Budd
- Town/City
- Montpelier
- County
- Washington
- Comments
- I am disabled myself and receive help from my local mental health agency so that
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Richard DeAngelis
- Town/City
- Montpelier
- County
- Washington
- Comments
- These are essential services for a vulnerable population. I'll pay more taxes for them .
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Julie Arnold
- Town/City
- Hartland
- County
- Windsor
- Comments
- Please oppose the budget cuts. I work in a high school setting and have worked hard to get our students as independent as possible and to become contributing members of our community. They are not able to do this on their own- many of them need supports from those agencies that pick them up after school . Please don't cut the budget!
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Lisa S. Lynch
- Town/City
- Rutland
- County
- Rutland
- Comments
- Revenues were a shortfall from all areas, so should be cuts, from All Areas not just DD and MI
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beverly frost
- Town/City
- sheffield
- County
- caledonia
- Comments
- My son with autism currently doesn't receive adequate services to provide him even basic safety. If he recieves less services he will be even more unsafe. Please see that safety is a concern for those adults with autism and all others who need services.
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willow frantz
- Town/City
- brattleboro
- County
- windham
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Jessa Fitzpatrick
- Town/City
- montpelier
- County
- usa
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Joy Prior
- Town/City
- Hartland
- County
- Windsor
- Comments
- В
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Pattie A. Dupuis
- Town/City
- Barre
- County
- Washington
- Comments
- Please no cuts to childrens programs with disabilities
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Erin Merrill
- Town/City
- Rochester
- County
- Windsor
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Markus Schortz
- Town/City
- Montpelier
- County
- Washington County
- Comments
- I am a parent of a child with autism. Families of kids with disabilities already have to tighten their belts. The government needs to look at other funding sources.
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Zoe Lirakis
- Town/City
- Chester
- County
- Windsor
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Karen Price
- Town/City
- Essex
- County
- Chittenden
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Sherry Boudreau
- Town/City
- North Clarendon
- County
- Rutland
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Marie Luhr
- Town/City
- Charlotte
- County
- Chittendent
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Alexandra Forbes
- Town/City
- Plainfield
- County
- Washington
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Doreen Giannelli
- Town/City
- Essex
- County
- Chittenden
- Comments
- This is the wrong place to make your cuts
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Peter Youngbaer
- Town/City
- Plainfield
- County
- Washington
- Comments
- I'm told these cuts will mean no job support or other community supports, forcing people to stay in their homes. What kind of life is that?
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Charles E. Keeler
- Town/City
- Cambridge
- County
- Lamoille
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Sharon Astle
- Town/City
- East Montpelier
- County
- Washington
- Comments
- В
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Lisa Bushey
- Town/City
- Colchester
- County
- Chittenden
- Comments
- We are some of the most hard working parents you will meet. Our children are some of the most vulnerable of our citizens, and sometimes it feels we have to fight for everything. Is it the right thing to cut services to this group, as a fellow human being? Will our lives be dealt further challenge?
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Jessica Levi
- County
- Washington
- Comments
- It seems inappropriate to take such a large precent of money away from a small precentage of the most needy population. Without proper support the developmental disability population will not be able to work, therfore not adding money back to the economy.
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Laura Ziegler
- Town/City
- Plainfield
- County
- Washington
- Comments
- The proposed cuts are both unconscionable and bad planning. Emergency services, hospitalization and criminal justice intervention/corrections custody will cost the state far more than it would to meet peoples' needs and prevent crises.
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Joan M. Black
- Town/City
- Montpelier
- County
- Washington
- Comments
- В
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Mother of a disabled child
- Town/City
- Washington
- County
- Orange
- Comments
- Please don't take anymore away from our children, they suffer enough with just their disability,
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Linda Mulley
- Town/City
- Norwich, Vermont
- County
- Windsor
- Comments
- It is difficult to explain to people who don't have a child or young adult with a debilitating disability how life could turn from difficult to unbearable by the cuts being proposed now in the budget. Cuts need to be made, yes, but PLEASE do not seek cuts with this population. As a special educator for over 30 years, I have witnessed a Vermont with mainly institutional services grow into a state with a credible record of serving this vulnerable population within their communities. Let's not lose ground hard won over these past 30 years. Thank you for listening.....linda mulley
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Harry Sherman
- Town/City
- Montpelier
- County
- Washington
- Comments
- How is that at the first sign of financial woe, our children are the first to go? The way I always heard it, our children should be our TOP priority. Through no fault of his own, my little son has autism. He cannot help it. It is unfare and cruel to make him pay so that Wall Street can suck up escagot. He needs help far more than some rich, graspy millionare that may now have to sell one of his Rolls Royces. Why not sell a few of those F-16 fighters at the National Guard base in Colchester? They are outdated and unnecessary. That would more than make up for most of the budget problems in Vermont. Oh, the paper-thin principals our leaders spout forth in times of plenty. They are ripped up and thrown in the trash at the first loss of a dollar bill. What a shame!
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Beth Ryan
- Town/City
- Essex Junction
- County
- Chittenden
- Comments
- Cuts to human services are inhumane.
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Lauren Ware
- Town/City
- Stannard
- County
- Caledonia
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Debby Haskins
- Town/City
- Calais
- County
- Washington
- Comments
- This is unacceptable, our most vulnerable Vermonters are once again taking the hit. Why can't we raise $ in creative ways. Where is our fiscal future?
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Lianne Petrocelli
- Town/City
- Monkton
- County
- Vermont
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Sandi Yandow
- Town/City
- West Addison
- County
- Addison
- Comments
- As the kinship caregiver of a child with a severe emotional disturbance, learning disabilities, and developmental delays - I cannot think of an area of this child's life that these cuts do not impact. Advocating for increased, appropriate, and effective services was a full time job long before cuts were proposed. I shudder to think of the ripple effect on all vulnerable populations (not just DD and MH) and know that if my cupboards were bare, I would be looking for creative ways to fill them back up again before even considering making those in need go without...
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Christina Karl
- Town/City
- North Montpelier
- County
- usa
- Comments
- our kids needs these programs to survive
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Sarah Wallace-Brodeur
- Town/City
- Essex Jct.
- County
- Chittenden
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Serena Gallagher
- Town/City
- North Clarndon
- County
- Vermont
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Mary Tousignant
- Town/City
- East Montpelier
- County
- Washington
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Chigee Cloninger
- Town/City
- South Burlington
- County
- Chittenden
- Comments
- The cost over time will be so much greater than what is saved with these cuts. These cuts could also revert the State back to institutions and removing the marginalized from their rightful place in community.
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Claire LaForce
- Town/City
- Rutland
- County
- VT
- Comments
- Grandparents raising Grandchildren group
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Laurie Mumley
- County
- Chittenden
- Comments
- We need MORE services, not less! We cannot balance the budget and make up for deficits at the expense of our most vulnerable populations!
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Mary Laulis
- Town/City
- Warren
- County
- Washington
- Comments
- please help our most defensive!
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Bryan Dague
- Town/City
- Burlington
- County
- Chittenden
- Comments
- All people belong in the community. People with disabilities often need help and support to work, live, and socialize in the community. Cutting services to this vulnerable, and often disenfranchised, population will force people into the segregated settings of the past. We need to move forward for full community inclusion, not backwards.
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Leslee Tocci
- Town/City
- Groton
- County
- Caledonia
- Comments
- In terms of supporting people with major mental illness in the community, these cuts will result in higher costs in the long run. The impact will be seen in higher hospitalization rates, longer stays in hospitals, and a decreased ability to provide intensive community supports. The more you chip away at the infrastructure of the community mental health system, the less ability we will have to close the State Hospital.
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Megan Heeder
- Town/City
- South Burlington
- County
- Chittenden
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Linda Deliduka
- County
- Chittenden
- Comments
- We can not cut support from these programs. It is not cost effective or humane
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Bonnie Fields
- Town/City
- Hartford, VT
- County
- Windsor
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margaret joyal
- Town/City
- Burlington
- County
- Chittenden
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418
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