Florida Med Waiver Cuts - Wow for Legislator!

[Guest guest]

sent a plea: PLEASE REVERSE MED WAIVER CUTS, and got this back

from Evan Jenne; clearly he cares!!! J

From: Jenne, Evan

Sent: Monday, January 26, 2009 10:42 AM

To: Liz

Subject: RE: PLEASE REVERSE MED WAIVER CUTS

Thank you for contacting me with your concerns regarding

Medicaid Waiver and Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) funding.

As you know, due to the ongoing decline in state revenues, a Special Session

was called to address the estimated $2 billion-plus budget shortfall in the

current fiscal year’s budget. While some wonderful programs will continue to

receive adequate funding, many other effective programs will be subject to

significant cuts.

The budget-cutting process posed many challenges for my

colleagues and me. Nonetheless, throughout this session, I continuously

advocated for funding for our most vulnerable citizens. Ultimately, I was

unable to support the budget deficit-reduction

package because I believe it failed to

prioritize the essentials.

Rather than cutting programs that benefit the well-being of

our community, I believe that lost revenue could be recouped by thinking

outside the box, uninfluenced by special interests. For example, we could raise tremendous revenue by closing off some sales

tax loopholes and exemptions. Currently, if a person purchases a multi-million

dollar yacht, they pay no sales tax. Also, when someone purchases sky box

tickets for sports games, they don't pay any sales tax.

I pledge to work tirelessly to revamp our state’s economy

without meager short-term solutions that may cause more harm than good.

Again, thank you for contacting me with your comments.

Your input is an invaluable asset in understanding the community that I

represent.

Sincerely,

Evan Jenne

State Representative, District 100

From: Liz

Sent: Monday, January 19, 2009 11:50 AM

To: Jenne, Evan

Subject: PLEASE REVERSE MED WAIVER CUTS

Dear Representative Jenne,

Cutting services to the most vulnerable citizens of this State is utterly

despicable! As a State, we allow massive air pollution, water pollution

(runoff, water " treatment, " and minimal filtration of known

carcinogens, prescription medicines, and other toxins), food products grown in

toxic chemical soup with added neurotoxic sweeteners and dyes, and injection of

known carcinogens and neurotoxins into our pregnant mothers, infants, children,

and seniors. This enviornment of harm naturally lends itself to increased

developmental disabilities. If we, as a State, choose to pursue this path, and

also choose to save every child born prematurely regardles of how premature,

and every person who suffers a massive, significantly debilitating health

crisis regardless of their liklihood of full recovery, then we MUST provide for

our disabled. Too many disabled are currently awaiting services. The previous

cuts have left those who do receive services with barely enough services to

live; let alone participate, meaningfully in society. This is one budget that should

be left intact; in fact, it desperately needs an increase. The system, itself,

is broken. Fix the system; get the funds actually into the hands of those with

disabilities in a meaningful way. Most " services " listed as available

are actually unavailable, as there are no providers. Where there are providers,

the providers are overwhelmed with clients; so many continue to wait without

desperately needed services. If each individual was directly provided a budget,

which they could spend with any licensed provider as-needed, we could cut out

many of the levels of administration and save money on all those salaries. Time

to K.I.S.S. And put the money to work for those who cannot.

Please take whatever action possible to reverse the current cuts to our most vulnerable

developmentally disabled citizens and identify a permanent source of funding

for the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, so that they can provide adequate

services to our most needy Floridians.

Liz

lizzy03@...

Ti tusville, FL