Something to be thankful for...

[Guest guest]

wrote:

I just had an image (after reading the turtleneck and sensitive neck posts) of a bullfrog's throat when he puffs it out. THANK GOODNESS we don't look like that when our food gets stuck and we have to drink it down. Or do we? Gee I hope not. I think I'm going to go watch myself swallow down a some food in a mirror. Then again, maybe it's better not to know. lol. Decisions, decisions. I don't THINK we look like bullfrogs when we do that, so isn't that a lucky thing? Cause I sure do feel like one sometimes.

Thanks for the chuckle!!! I can just see it in my mind...... LOL!Debbi in Michigan

[Guest guest]

The Arc of Illinois

November 21, 2008

Leaders in The Arc:

Sorry for the delay in sending this message out but this morning when

I tried to send this out, we discovered a problem in our mass email

delivery.

Very quietly, the Governor signed Senate Bill 1103 into law but

further reduced this bill with a veto of $55 million. The cuts to

developmental disability services cuts were fully restored by the

Governor as were most of the human services cuts.

Here is the detail of the developmental disability cuts which were

restored:

$28.1 million to prevent reductions to ICFDD, fee-for-service and

cuts to grant funded programs.

$100,000 to The Autism Program.

$584,700 for specialized services.

$130,300 for DCFS transition.

$270,000 for Illinois Life Span.

This is great news but the budget battles are not over. Impending

cuts because of the economic downturn are very much still on the

table.

We must be vigilant and continue to fight to protect our necessary

services/supports from further reductions.

Thank you for your actions on the restoration of cuts to

developmental disability services.

You should send thank you letters to Governor Blagojevich for his

support of disability services.

Here is a link to SB 1103:

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/95/SB/PDF/09500SB1103ham007.pdf

The Governor's veto message follows.

Tony auski

The Arc of Illinois

815-464-1832

To the Honorable Members of the Illinois Senate 95th General Assembly

Pursuant to Article IV, Section 9( of the Illinois

Constitution of 1970, I hereby return Senate Bill 1103, entitled " AN

ACT concerning appropriations " with line item vetoes in

appropriations totaling $55,037,850.

I take this action with great reluctance given the

significant challenges facing the people of Illinois. However, sound

financial management and prudent fiscal policy demand that I must not

sign an appropriation bill that is not fully supported by sufficient

revenue sources. This legislation relies, in part, on funds that are

restricted by the federal government. Using such funds could put

future federal funding in jeopardy.

I share many of the spending priorities outlined in this legislation,

and with sufficient transferred revenue would support restoration of

previous vetoes. But, due to the clear hypocrisy of the revenue

passed in support of this legislation, sufficient revenues are not be

available to meet the obligations outlined.

In addition, the Department of Revenue has recently concluded that

due to the current national fiscal crisis statewide revenues are

falling short of the amounts initially budgeted by the General

Assembly. While the nation faces such a tremendous crisis, we must

use all available resources to protect the stability of the State and

the needs of its people.

I stand ready to work with the General Assembly to address the

financial and service needs of the State. I encourage the General

Assembly to pass additional supplemental revenues that would fully

support the restoration of the vetoed items.

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