NJ Alert !!! Volunteers needed to blitz NJ newspapers !

[Guest guest]

Dear New Jersey Listmates:

As you probably know, there is great danger that newly elected Governor

E. McGreevey may rescind all $114 million in appropriations voted

after he was elected on November 7, since he has that statutory power as a

new Governor. Our new Guv is under great pressure to do so, to reduce

the budget gap of $1.9 billion estimated for FY 2002. This includes the

Governor's Council on Autism, This includes the Governor's Council on

Autism, appropriated January 7 2002, which provides $1.5 million in funding

each year for FY 2002-2004 for biomedical research on autism, which provides

$1.5 million in funding each year for FY 2002-2004 for biomedical research

on autism.

When I spoke with Sibley, McGreevey's assistant for health affairs

asking if McGreevey would make an exception for the piddling $1.5 million

appropriated for the Governor's Council on Autism, she said it would be very

difficult for him to make an exception, because then all the other interests

would complain they were being discriminated against.

So it looks there is clear and present danger of at the last minute losing

$4.5 million in funding for the Governor's Council on Autism, which was

created by the New Jersey Infantile Autism Biomedical Research act of 1999.

Since its inception, the Council has awarded 23 research grants, assisted in

the establishment of an autism registry in the state, and helped develop the

first statewide campaign in the country designed to educate parents of young

children and physicians about the early warning signs of autism

and other developmental disorders. (For more information about the Council,

visit their website at www2.umdnj.edu/chinjweb/govcofolder.htm)

..

This is the last hurdle. If we can clear it, we're set for the next 3 years.

What can you do to help ?

One way of helping is to participate in blitzing the Letters to the Editor

column of major newspapers in New Jersey. Time is very short, because

McGreevey will announce a final decision on the $114 million in funding on

January 28, which leaves only 4 work days between now and then (Jan 22-Jan

25). What we need is letters to editor of newspapers emailed or faxed no

later than 10 am Tuesday January 22nd.

If you are able to give about one hour of your time between now and Monday

night, please email me indicating the newspapers that cover your local

area, and I will email you a sample letter that you would then edit to your

own satisfaction, maybe adding in a statement on how autism has affected you

personally. And then you would fax or email the letter to one newspaper no

later than 10 am Tuesday January 22.

Sincerely

Lightbourne

New Jersey Autism Political Action

Tel: 732-548-1612

Fax: 732-494-2469

P.S. If you want to stay updated on political issues affecting autism in

New Jersey, you can subscribe to NjAutismPoliticalAction ,

which is a free mailing list intended to help organize the autism community

in persuading legislators at all levels of government to maximize support

for autism research, treatment and outreach. To subscribe to this list,

just send an email addressed to

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