Petition Update 9/18: ----- Ben Barnes from The Office of Policy & Managment announced today that DDS will receive more than $7.5 million in rescission cuts. Last Sunday the Hartford Courant released an article identifying $48 million in massive overspending on overtime at DDS. Despite this, once again, the administration has chosen to target cuts in a way that disproportionately affects families in need, while barely addressing waste, mismanagement and overtime at DDS. Here is the article: http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-state-overtime-costs-soar-0913-20150913-story.html Contact Governor Malloy at 1-800-406-1527 today and every day until these cuts are restored. This is not negotiable. Breakdown of DDS Cuts: Employment Opportunities and Day Services - $3,000,000 Community Residential Services - $1,800,000 Voluntary Service - $297,312 Personal Services - $1,500,000 Other Expenses - $206,194 Cooperative Placements Program - $613,621 Supplemental Payments for Medical Services - $150,000 More information to follow. ============================================ My name is Michelle Rivelli and I am the mother of Jessica, who has autism and intellectual disabilities. I am also a pediatrician in Shelton. I ask you to sign this petition about the current state of the DDS budget cuts. I know many of you have written letters and been up to the legislature, but for those of you who have not had the opportunity to do so, I wanted to provide you with the current state of the budget cuts and what your options are at this time. There have been enormous cuts to DDS, this year being the most profound and far reaching. For the first time, day program funding for 2016-2017 grads is totally eliminated, VSP is cut 60% and residential/home supports are drastically cut. The only funding preserved is for personal services (i.e. for DDS employees, which in reality over 90% of this will go to state employees at Southbury Training School and the other DDS regional centers). Unless the three line items highlighted above get added back into the budget, our children will have to stay home after they graduate at age 21 years! Additionally, any other supports families have been receiving will be significantly cut. There will be no hope of any residential services until the death of both parents or other profound crisis. The only hope we have is to contact the legislators on the health subcommittee of appropriations to let them know how this will affect our families before April 30th when they make their recommendations. In addition to this petition, contacting the leadership of appropriations will be helpful once the budget gets to the main appropriations committee in May. Unfortunately the only thing that seems to have influence in this process is the number of individuals who contact legislators about specific issues. I am listing the names and contact information for the subcommittee and leadership in Hartford. Your first contact should be your own state senator and representative. You can find them on the www.cga.ct.gov website. There is additional information on the cga website and on the ARC of CT website about how to contact legislators. Then if you have time, contact the individuals below. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Some of the legislators have to be contacted through their specific websites rather than via regular e-mail. I totally understand that none of us have time to do this when we are trying to keep things together with our kids at home. However, after meeting with numerous legislators and advocacy groups, these contacts are the only way to ensure our children have a safety net going forward. We do have strength in numbers. Sign this petition to have a voice to protect our special needs children! Feel free to send a letter/call/Email: CO-CHAIRPERSONS of health subcommittee of appropriations (note **=members of ID/DD caucus), **Sen. Terry Gerratana (D-S6) Room 3002, LOB (860)240-0584 [email protected] Rep. Patricia Dillon (D-92) Room 4019, LOB (860) 240-8585 [email protected] MEMBERS: for all of the Republicans you need to go on their websites to e-mail, for the democrats use the formula--- [email protected] **Sen. Paul Formica (R-S20) Room 3901, LOB (860) 240-0574 **Rep. Whit Betts (R-78) Room 4200, LOB (860) 240-8700 **Rep. Catherine Abercrombie (D-83) Room 2002, LOB (860) 240-0492 **Rep. Kevin Ryan (D-139) Room 4108, LOB (860) 240-8585 Rep. Andre Baker, Jr. (D-124) Room 5008, LOB (860) 240-8585 **Rep. Peter Tercyak (D-26) Room 3804, LOB (860) 240-8585 Rep. Juan Candelaria (D-95) Room 1804, LOB (860) 240-8585 **Rep. Mitch Bolinsky (R-106) Room 4053, LOB (860) 240-8700 **Rep. Susan Johnson (D-49) Room 5007, LOB (860) 240-8585 **Rep. Jay Case (R-63) Room 2004, LOB (860) 240-8700 Rep. Robyn Porter (D-94) Room 2704, LOB (860) 240-8585 **Rep. Kathleen McCarty (R-38) Room 4046, LOB (860) 240-8700 LEADERSHIP OF APPROPRIATIONS-Co-chairs: **Senator Beth Bye, Deputy Majority Leader(D5)1-800-842-1420, need to e-mail via link on her website Representative Toni Walker, (D-93) , 1-800-842-8267 [email protected] LEADERSHIP OF LEGISLATURE: Senate President Martin Looney, (D-11), (800)-842-1420, must go on website to e-mail Senator Bob Duff, Senate Majority Leader (D-25), (800)-842-1420, [email protected] Rep. Joe Aresimowic, House Majority Leader (D-30), (860) 240-8489 [email protected] Rep. Brendan Sharkey, Speaker of the House (D-88),1-800-842-1902, [email protected] DR. RIVELLI'S LETTER TO STATE LEGISLATORS: The developmental disability community is currently experiencing a crisis due to unprecedented cuts to essential DDS services and slashing of funds to all other critical services. I know this because as a pediatrician I am seeing my patients affected. Closer to home, as the parent of a 20 year old with autism and intellectual...

Our national parks are one of our most valuable resources. For decades, democrats and republicans have worked together to keep them protected but in the face of big money and corporate lobbyists, they may be sold off for development and lost forever.

The Department of Natural Resources in Indiana is proposing the re-model of a landmark building to put in a restaurant and bar. They are leasing this building for $1500.00 a month, plus 2% of the net gross. They are also allowing a building to be built that would be used for weddings, meetings etc., and possibly in the future a Hotel. This park was just named the 7th best state park in the nation. They have been working on this deal for over 3 years, while telling the public they were working just on getting the building renovated. They told the public last week the contracts have been signed. This lease is for 30 years. Who gets to rent an existing two story building on Lake Michigan for 1500.00 a month? The parking lots are there for the people who come to the Dunes and the beach to use, not private enterprise. No alcohol is allowed in any state park, but it will be in this bar. Now the question is who owed who a political payback to reap this sweet deal. Stop the DNR from destroying this beautiful park.

We the people of Stuyvesant Gardens community & the Williams family lost a great person, Ms. Williams lost her life saving children. When Ms. Williams learned children were in the backyard while shots were being fired, she rushed out the lobby to push the children to safety. While doing so, she lost her life. Her killer was never arrested. She was very active in the Stuyvesant community. Seven years ago we were promise by a council member, Darlene Marley, that she would honor Ms. Williams by naming Stuyvesant Gardens playground after Ms. Williams. She never delivered!

Our government is being taken over by Big Money. Yet the vote will cancel out money every time. The low percentage of voters is a disgrace and embarrassing, but more importantly the results of elections these days do not reflect the majority of Americans and the policies that most Americans support. Just the talk of making Election Day a national holiday will start a conversation around voting.

This "school" targeted low income families single parents and veterans. They promised a quality education and job placement and that our credits would transfer to any college. Lies lies lies. The DOE has bailed this company out over and over again. However we are stuck with these worthless degrees. Please show your support. We have over 9 Attorneys General backing us and the consumer financial protection bureau. Thank you!

We the people of Stuyvesant Gardens & the Williams family, were promise that the playground behind 730 gates ave building would be name after Mrs. Williams. She saved children's lives. When Ms. William learned there were children in the backyard during a shoot out, she ran out of the lobby to bring them to safety. After she shoved the last child to safety, was when she got shot.

We are speaking for thousands of people who can not speak...don't know what to write..or can not write. A very vulnerable population. The services they receive now are good for them..they like the services..they grow and prosper with these services. The system is not broken it does not need to be fixed or changed.

My name is SSG. Mike Bryant (retired). I am a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom and have been medically retired because of a long list of health problems including post-traumatic stress disorder. Most of the medications that are given out for PTSD have some very rough side effects, including suicidal tendencies. I can tell you from experience that marijuana helps with PTSD, but I can not use it for fear of prosecution because it is illegal in Kentucky. Marijuana has been clinically proven to help PTSD but for some reason most law makers choose to ignore this fact. Will you help those who have sacrificed so much in the name of freedom by asking Kentucky to legalize medicinal marijuana?<

I run a support group for survivors of sociopaths and the devastation that the court system causes these victims is an outrage. there are hundreds of thousands of victims out there who have been abused by sociopaths and who also have children with them. the damage they do to these women and children is despicable and these women ( men) have no voice in court you cant even get a judge to look at this epidemic. the laws and our court system must change.

The students of Clairfield Elementary currently DO NOT HAVE access to the same information and are limited in their opportunities for engagement as a result of not having fiber optic access to internet services. Why should they be left out? Why do they not have access? The students deserve to have better. They should have the same opportunities for learning that other students currently have in the state of Tennessee .

My husband is incarcerated at the Michael Unit in Tennessee Colony Texas Region ll. Employees are representatives of the TDCJ and are expected to adhere to the highest standards of conduct while on-duty or off-duty, including adherence to the rules of conduct described in the Listing of Employee General Rules of Conduct and Disciplinary Violations. The Warden's and officers are treating family members and friends of offenders inappropriately and nothing is being done. This needs to stop.