March
27, 2003
The
Senate tentatively passed their budget bill out last evening. Final vote will
be today. It contains no real changes on the SRS budget. Sen. Feliciano
proposed an increase for MR/DD waiver and some funding for Solders Homes, but
was unsuccessful.
Sen. Pugh proposed an amendment that would have cut most state programs
including SRS and DOA by 5.1%. He described it as necessary because the Senate
did not have a balanced budget and he said "We have to take our
medicine." Well, what the Senator doesn't understand is that Seniors
and people with disabilities will have no medicine or anything else if that
amendment passed. Kay O'CONNER supported the amendment saying it's just
like a household budget, you can't spend more than you have! Well, I
wouldn't want to live in her household if her idea of budgeting is paying for a
new driveway, but starving grandma and not getting Johnny a wheelchair. That's
what that amendment would do!
The amendment was defeated 12 - 26. Voting with Sen. Pugh on this
amendment were Sens. Brownlee, Clark, Donovan, Harrington, Jackson, Lyon,
O'Conner, Schmidt, Tyson and Wagle.
Senator Haley passed and all other voted Nay.
Today's Salina Journal editorial said we need a tax increase, which could be in
the form of an income tax hike on the highest paid workers! Think they
should join the Big Tent, just common sense!
More to come.
Gina