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The Capital Times :: EDITORIAL :: 11A
Wednesday, June 23, 2004
Kim Turner executive director Options in Community Living Madison
Dear Editor: Specific to the developmental disabilities service system budget, which is part of the adult community services budget within Dane County's human services budget, providers received cuts ranging from 3 percent to 5 percent for 2004. We have now been told to expect up to 3 percent cuts across the board for 2005 in order for the department to meet the budget target set by the county executive.
2004 was a very tough budget year for the county, with great losses in state funding. Everyone had to do their part, and save every possible penny. With great difficulty, providers have found ways to survive the cuts this year. The budget reductions are being achieved through risky cuts in services for vulnerable people, grouping more people together, and sharply reducing benefits for employees. We have struggled to find balance between reductions in service and in staff pay and benefits. Service reductions affect people with disabilities and their families, and also staff who are asked to do more and more with less time available.
Further budget reductions will result in unacceptable levels of risk. All costs of doing business continue to increase. Space, health insurance and fuel costs increase. Wages should increase as well.
Dane County has an obligation to provide services to adults with developmental disabilities, both legally and ethically. The clear solution is that more revenue is needed to fund human services, and that money must come from the county tax levy. County Executive Kathleen Falk's tax formula is growth plus inflation. While she went slightly beyond that formula last year, she has stated she will not for 2005.
In fact, she must, if people are to be served safely. As of now, the developmental disabilities system must reduce levy costs by $500,000, which means we will then lose that much more in federal matching dollars. And those reductions just keep the system where it is, not addressing the ever-increasing caseloads that occur through crisis situations.
Nobody wants their taxes to increase, but short of finding significant savings elsewhere in the county budget, it is the only choice to keep services functioning at safe levels.
