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Given that the
Governor vetoed CCS SCS HCS HB2 last week (the appropriations bill
that includes the budget for the Missouri Commission for the Deaf
and Hard of Hearing), a new bill (HB 102) has been introduced and
will be run through the legislature this week. HB 102 starts with
the same devastating cuts to the budget of MCDHH that were included
in last week's bill. In particular, if HB 102 were to pass in its
present form it would mean that the Commission will have lost 57% of
its operational funding in two years (down from $120,851 in FY-2002
to $51,628 in FY-2004), and will have lost fully 44% of its
operational funds in one year (down from $92,681 in FY-2003 to
$51,628 in FY-2004). Plus the Commission will lose one staff member!
And these are only “appropriated” funds - they are not necessarily
“real” operating funds as they do not take into consideration
withholdings by the Governor. This year the Governor's office
withheld 43% of the appropriated funds from the Commission's budget.
If that were to happen again next year, with an appropriation the
size of what is included in the version of HB 102 that has been
introduced, this agency may virtually have to close its doors,
disconnect its phones, and turn its lights off .
So, we need the help of all advocates who do not
wish to see such drastic cuts in the Commission budget. There will
be a public hearing on HB 102 on Wednesday, June 25, at 12:00 p.m.
in Hearing Room # 3, with House floor debate and voting to occur
later that afternoon. There will be another public hearing for HB
102 before the Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday, June 26,
at 9:00 a.m. in Senate Committee Room # 2, with Senate floor debate
and voting to occur later on Thursday or Friday. All advocates who
wish to support the Commission in this "budget brawl" should attend
one or both of those hearings if at all possible. And if you cannot
physically attend either of those hearings, you should immediately
contact your Representative and Senator by fax, e-mail and telephone
and ask that they "support restoring the Governor's budget
recommendations for the Missouri Commission for the Deaf and Hard of
Hearing." Contact information for all Senators can be found at
www.senate.state.mo.us and contact information for all
Representatives can be found at www.house.state.mo.us. |
