ALABAMA: "In addition, funding for non-state agencies will be eliminated. This includes ... Parkinson Association"

[Murray Charters <mcharters@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

ALABAMA: "In addition, funding for non-state agencies will be eliminated. This 
includes ... Parkinson Association"

Guest Editorial - from the desk of Rep. Lea Fite
09-19-2003

The Bottom Line

The people have spoken and have rebuffed Gov. Riley?s tax plan that would have 
provided the state with $1.2 billion in
additional revenue; however, the vote rejecting the proposal does not diminish 
the fact that the state continues to
face a severe financial crisis.

There has been a lot of speculation about the actual amount of shortfall for 
the Fiscal Year 2004 budget. The harsh
reality is there is a budget deficit of more than $600 million for 2004. 
Although Alabama received almost $200 million
in one-time federal money for assistance during this economic downturn, the 
state must still cut over $400 million in
order to fulfill Constitutional requirements to balance the budget.

These cuts are going to come at a substantial cost to all Alabamians and will 
be particularly hard on children and
senior adults ? those in our society who can least care for themselves. The 
best way to understand the significance of
such cuts is to look at their impact.
SNIP
In addition, funding for non-state agencies will be eliminated. This includes 
Children?s Hospital, Parkinson
Association, AIDS Alabama, Prevent Child Abuse Alabama, Kidney Foundation, and 
Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
These are all good and worthwhile projects that deserve state funding.

This will be the most difficult special session in decades. There are many 
deserving programs and too few dollars to
provide the basic services of government. Cutting already under funded state 
agencies will be catastrophic. You may not
see the effects of these cuts today, but the ramifications will be long term. 
Education will suffer, jobs will be lost
and health care services will decline.

The fact of the matter is, that if something does not change, the 2005 budget 
cuts will be even deeper and more
widespread than the slashing the FY ?04 budget is expected to receive. That is 
the bottom line.

Guest editorial from the desk of Rep. Lea Fite

SOURCE: The Jacksonville News


* * *

----------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:listserv@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn