Budget cuts

July 1, 2016 – Pennsylvania Budget – Dismayed…to Angered…to Outraged!
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July 1, 2016 – Pennsylvania Budget – Dismayed…to Angered…to Outraged!

Action alerts, Blog, Blogroll, In the news, News & Views

July 1, 2016 – Pennsylvania Budget – Dismayed…to Angered…to Outraged!

The Arc of Pennsylvania outraged at 2016-2017 budget The Arc of Pennsylvania is outraged that the General Assembly passed a budget that further deteriorates the community support system for Pennsylvanians with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Following on the heels of the prolonged budget impasse that left the disability system reeling financially, the 2016-2017 budget phenomenally fails to address serious issues that threaten to throw Pennsylvanians with disabilities back into segregated institutions. The Arc of Pennsylvania and its chapters have met with hundreds of legislators and the Governor to explain what is happening to the disability supports system in Pennsylvania, but in light of the expected final 2016-2017 state budget it appears that the urgency of these issues has been lost on our elected officials [...]

By Scott|2016-07-01T14:22:28-04:00July 1st, 2016|Action alerts, Blog, Blogroll, In the news, News & Views|0 Comments

Chandler Balch – Meeting Legislator Rozzi

Hello everybody, today my blog will be about my visit with Representative Mark Rozzi. Last Thursday, Scott, myself, Paul Stengle, the CEO of The Arc Alliance and Carol Lawrence went to visit Representative Mark Rozzi to talk about many issues as well as the budget. I went with my grandfather which if you watched Channel 6 Action News when the crew came to the legislative roundtable discussion on November 12, my grandfather was the grandparent that spoke on the news. It took about 20 minutes to get to the Representative’s office. While waiting for Scott, I had opportunity to talk to the representative’s assistant. I asked her about her job responsibilities. She jokingly said that she was the one who gets all the complaints [...]

By Scott|2016-01-12T15:51:00-05:00January 12th, 2016|Blog, Blogroll, Chandler Balch|0 Comments

Chandler Balch – Holiday Budget Cuts

Hello everybody, today my blog will be about two things; what the holidays mean to me and also the state budget. Did everybody have a nice Thanksgiving? I sure did! Considering that we just got through Thanksgiving and Christmas is only a couple of weeks away, if you can believe that, today my blog will be about what the holidays in general mean to me. When people think about the holidays there are normally two things that they think about. They either think, “Oh my gosh, I love the holidays” or “Bah, humbug! I don’t like the holidays!” But for me, holidays mean more than glowing colored lights or snowy winter nights, they mean happiness and joy and family. Over the Thanksgiving break, I [...]

By Scott|2015-12-16T08:53:43-05:00December 8th, 2015|Blog, Blogroll, Chandler Balch|0 Comments

Chandler Budget Impasse

I'm not sure Harrisburg cares! We need to let them know that we care and we can make a difference! Paul Stengle Addressing Families Today the blog will be about the meeting with legislators that The Arc Alliance held on November 12th. There were about six or seven legislators present. The reason they were having this event was because of the recent budget impasse. Pennsylvania still does not have a budget! Legislators Addressing Families The Arc Alliance wasn’t the only organization present. There were many other human services organizations also there to tell their stories. There were also parents there to advocate for their children. Some of the stories they told were very emotional, you could see it on their [...]

By Scott|2015-11-30T09:36:29-05:00November 30th, 2015|Action alerts, advocacy, Arc news, Blog, Blogroll, Chandler Balch, In the news|2 Comments

Families in Crisis Montgomery County Human Services Roundtable Budget Cuts and Impasse

On November 12th The Arc Alliance, Resources for Human Development and the MAX Association joined together in hosting a legislator discussion with families who have a loved one with special needs. Over 110 individuals representing families and providers of services and support came together with 10 legislators and Aids from Montgomery County to tell their stories of the budget impasse and how it is affecting their family. The legislators heard many examples of how the lack of a budget is impacting their loved one as well as requests for expansion of funding for Human Services in the future. Several families presented how their children, who graduated from High School this past May have been pushed to the margin because no new individuals with intellectual [...]

By Scott|2015-11-13T10:16:12-05:00November 13th, 2015|Action alerts, Arc news, Blog, Blogroll, Chandler Balch, News & Views|0 Comments

Chandler Balch – A teenagers view of the budget impasse

Hello everybody, This is a bit of a long blog but it's important! Today my blog will be about the budget impasse and its effects on organizations like The Arc Alliance and families they serve. Today, I have read a few articles pertaining to the budget impasse. If you did not know, Pennsylvania does not have a budget right now. If you are a typical person you may be thinking, I don’t know why I should care, it doesn’t affect me yet. However, down the road when your kid asks, why is this school program canceled or why can’t I go to physical therapy, you will have to tell them point-blank that the program is canceled and that the therapist isn’t working right now [...]

By Scott|2015-10-27T13:56:06-04:00October 27th, 2015|Blog, Blogroll, Chandler Balch, In the news|0 Comments

Does Harrisburg Care? It doesn’t seem like they do!
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Does Harrisburg Care? It doesn’t seem like they do!

advocacy, Blog, In the news, News & Views

Does Harrisburg Care? It doesn’t seem like they do!

Hey Harrisburg, where's the budget? It doesn’t seem like many of our elected officials care about individuals with disabilities. As they are on break without a budget for the state, the citizens of Pennsylvania are the ones who suffer. Rep Gene DiGirolamo a true friend of those with disabilities has introduced a compromise budget which is currently not getting attention. DiGirolamo indicated that he has heard, legislators are not really hearing from constituents regarding supporting the restoration of the 10% cut to the block grants. We can change that today! Harrisburg and political negotiations of the budget impasse might feel like a world away, but the impact of the budget impasse is being felt in every county. The PA General Assembly is currently on break [...]

By Scott|2015-07-31T20:32:03-04:00July 31st, 2015|advocacy, Blog, In the news, News & Views|0 Comments

YOUR ACTION IS NEEDED TODAY!!!!

YOUR ACTION IS NEEDED TODAY!!!! FIRST ALERT VIRTUAL RALLY June 18th from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. We need to flood the Capitol with phone calls to be sure that funding for people with disabilities is in the Governor’s Budget! Here’s what to say: Hello my name is __________________. I am a person with a disability (e.g. developmental, intellectual, autism, physical disability.) I have a family member with a disability. I work with people who have disabilities. This funding proposed by the Governor in February must be restored: Community services for persons with intellectual disability so that 1,100 people can come off the emergency wait list Funding for 100 individuals with autism Funding to expand “Jobs for All” - on the job training for [...]

By Scott|2014-09-03T03:11:13-04:00June 18th, 2014|Action alerts, advocacy, Arc news, Blog, Blogroll, In the news, Rally, Support|0 Comments

Legislator of the Year Presentation
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Legislator of the Year Presentation

advocacy, Arc news, Blog, Blogroll, Down Syndrome, Events

Legislator of the Year Presentation

Rep. Gene Digirolamo with Tim and Carol Lawrence On April 9th 2013 in Harrisburg Pennsylvania as part of The Arc of Pa's SAGA day Representative Gene Digirolamo was presented with the legislator of the year award. This is an annual award presented to the legislator who has made significant advancements for individuals with disabilities. Tim Lawrence, a volunteer with The Arc Alliance was invited to assist in presenting Representative Gene Digirolamo of Buck’s County with the legislator of the year award from The Arc of Pennsylvania. Tim is an energetic young man who is outgoing and enjoys being with people. Tim has Downs syndrome but does not feel like it defines or limits him. He feels that is but just one aspect of who [...]

By Scott|2013-04-12T14:38:13-04:00April 12th, 2013|advocacy, Arc news, Blog, Blogroll, Down Syndrome, Events|0 Comments

The Govenors Budget does not take care of Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Below is a link to a powerful YouTube video of Representative Tom Murt, as he testifies in front of the House Appropriations Committee, to the inability of the current administrations proposed budget to adequately address the issues facing Pennsylvania citizens with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Representative Murt cleary articulates the inequitable burden this administration is placing on families and providers by its policy and budgetary cuts. He's right when he says, no other industry would be subject to rate cuts mid-year, after services which the state has approved, have been provided. The haste to balance budgets must not be put on the shoulders of those in most need! His closing remarks bring to the forefront the critical issue of how short sighted the proposed budget is and the likely potential [...]

By Scott|2012-03-15T20:32:56-04:00March 15th, 2012|Action alerts, advocacy, Arc news, Blog, In the news, Press coverage, Support|0 Comments

July 1, 2016 – Pennsylvania Budget – Dismayed…to Angered…to Outraged!

Does Harrisburg Care? It doesn’t seem like they do!

Legislator of the Year Presentation

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