Action Alerts   

July 28, 2010

 

URGENT ACTION ALERT!!!

 

Why Am I Being Asked Again to Contact Legislators?


  Combine timing with effort and passion!

 

It has been an interesting summer so far. No Budget. No Legislators in Sacramento to talk about the Budget. No Conference Committee holding open meetings to discuss options to close portions of the budget.

 

Yet behind the scenes, your Governmental Affairs team in Sacramento continues to talk with any number of staff about our issues. Carl London had an opportunity to bring the issues forward directly with the Republican Leaders in both Houses.

 

There have been ongoing behind-the scenes meetings in the Senate between the Democratic President Pro-Temp Darrel Steinberg (D-Sacramento) and Republican Leader Dennis Hollingsworth (R-Murieta) toward a goal of crafting a bi-partisan Senate version of the budget.

 

But … to date there is no such thing as a budget deal. Most if not all of the elements remain unresolved, including the issue of a 1.25% rate cut to providers.  But we have supporters to block such a cut and we have a strong grassroots potential to add to our Sacramento lobbying effort to help press our position forward.

 

Why would we ask you to contact your Legislators once again? Haven’t we already asked and haven’t most of you already done so?

 

Yes, we have asked. And yes (we hope!) most of you have already made regular contract. But right now, there are two reasons for another contact Right Now!

 

  1. Attention Span:  You are busy people. So you understand being overwhelmed and inundated with requests and information. No less is the world in which Legislators live. We simply cannot afford to assume that an issue as important as government funding in general – 80-90% of each of your budgets –  and the devastating of a rate cut specifically will always remains front and center on the minds of these Legislative Leaders. It is our collective job to help keep those issues on their radar screen!

 

  1. Timing: The Legislature returns from their summer recess next week. Once again, business will be conducted, and many conversations about the budget and other things will begin again in earnest. And once again the key people will be at their desk, more focused and ready to receive your input.

So yes – we ask you again to place a call to these offices beginning Monday of next week. Feel free to call today, tomorrow, and Friday as well. I would never want to put a damper on your zeal!

 

The message remains:

 

  1. No further cuts to direct services! The current cut of $48.2 million would be on top of nearly ¾ of a billion dollars that has already been taken from our system since the fall of 2008!

  2. Our cuts were real! While other cuts were blocked or stalled by lawsuits and court actions, our were not! We are living every day with the impact of a loss of funds on a system already devastated over the last 20 years by funding freezes and program cutbacks!

  3. Tell your story!  How much would a 1.25% rate cut cost YOUR agency? Be specific. Tell the offices what you have ALREADY had to do to make ends meet – layoffs, program cutbacks, loss of transportation services, etc.

 

This really is only a 3-minute conversation!  You can convert it to a letter and FAX it in – in fact I would urge you to do so! But add to that a call to each of the offices listed below, and to your own Senator and Assembly Member.

 

Your call and letter will remind them that you are paying attention, that you have an expectation that they do all in their power for people with developmental disabilities and those agencies like yours who support them. And you will remind them that you are the COST EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVE for direct services IN THEIR COMMUNITIES that helps keep the cost of supporting these lives under control.

 

So – go forth and conquer.  Thanks for once again answering the bell!

 

 

 

SAMPLE LETTER

DATE

 

Senator Denise Ducheny, Chair
Senate Budget Conference Committee
State Capitol, Room 5035
Sacramento, CA  95814

           

 

RE:     Department of Developmental Services (DDS);
Item 4300-101-001, Conference Agenda page 39
            SUPPORT ASSEMBLY VERSION

 

Dear Senator Ducheny,

 

I am (introduce yourself; executive director, manager, direct care staff, board member, business partner, supporter etc.) of (Name of agency) serving the communities of (list your communities!)

 

We SUPPORT the Assembly version of the DDS budget item before you and STRONGLY URGE YOU TO APPROVE this version when the issue comes before you.

 

The Governor has proposed to reduce funding for my programs by 1.25%! That cut is worth (what does a $1.25% cut cost you???). That amount of money would make me (reduce wages? lay-off staff? reduce program enrollment? eliminate programs? Be as specific as you can!)

 

We understand the terrible budget situation faced by the State. But we want you to understand how difficult it has been for our agency to keep our doors open and provide services to hundreds of people with disabilities with more than $500 million in cuts to the general fund in the last two years!

 

We are already subject to a 3% payment cut which has cost us ($$$). We are carrying another loss of ($$$$) from cuts to adult education and various cuts to a long list of programs that state-wide add up to more than $334 million carried over from last year.

 

This additional cut would be devastating.

 

Please join us in SUPPORTING THE ASSEMBLY ACTION to eliminate the cut and eliminate related trailer bill language both of which were supported by the Senate.

 

Sincerely,

 

Signature
Title

 

C:        Conference Committee Members
            Your Senator
            Your Assembly Member