Fwd: FCC: Florida ARF - President's Special Report

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Family Care Council Communication:

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Bob Wessels

Employment Coordinator, Community Outreach, FCC Liaison

Agency for Persons with Disabilities

201 West Broward Blvd., Suite 305

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301

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Email: _Wessels@...

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----- Forwarded by Wessels/APD/DCF on 08/26/2008 08:10 AM -----

<webmaster@florid

aarf.org>

08/25/2008 01:50

PM

Subject

President's Special Report

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| From the Desk of|

| Terry R. Farmer|

| August 25, 2008|

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| PRESIDENT'S SPECIAL REPORT |

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| Is This The Passing of an Era? Part 1 |

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| (Embedded image moved to file: pic28145.jpg)Terry Farmer, President of |

| Florida ARFDear Bob, |

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| We are currently witnessing the regression of Florida’s service systems |

| for people with disabilities to a net decline that has not been seen |

| before. Even the aftermath of the great period of stagflation that |

| occurred in the late 1970’s pales in comparison. Is it too late to stop |

| it? In Part 1 of a two part series, we will examine what is happening in |

| Florida. In Part 2, a subsequent edition of this report, we will examine |

| the national trends. The early 1980’s began a period in Florida of |

| successive budget cuts, and nearly two decades of little to no growth in |

| services for people with disabilities. In wasn’t until 1998 with the |

| election of Governor Jeb Bush, the pressure of multiple lawsuits, and a |

| period of rising general revenue which floated all boats that things began|

| to change for the better. We fear now, however, we are cycling back into |

| that darkness again, and into a deeper chasm than before. |

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| In an article posted in Slate on Thursday, March 6, 2008, author |

| Gross writes, “Stagflation Is Back AND IT'S EVEN WORSE THAN YOU FEARED. |

| It's like a bad '70s flashback.†And it is compounded exponentially by |

| the debt and credit crisis of the 2000’s. Florida leaders, however, are |

| not responding like the leaders of the 1980’s. Back then action was taken|

| to stop the bleeding, raise revenues, and stimulate the economy. This |

| time we seem to be contributing to a vicious downward cycle through a |

| “slash and burn†approach. Former Governor Bob Graham alerted us in an

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| article in the Saint sburg Times published September 30, 2007: |

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| “With Florida in a budget hole, stop digging…

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| History says that Florida will eventually snap out of its |

| current doldrums. But if our leaders do nothing but swing a |

| meat ax at key priorities, they will soon fall prey to snake |

| oil salesmen who promise " easy and painless " solutions like |

| casino gambling. The second we succumb to those intoxicating |

| promises, Florida's character will be forever altered - our |

| future determined by the chance turn of the roulette wheel |

| rather than the character and capabilities of our people. |

| When that happens, our children and grandchildren will find |

| themselves in the middle of the perfect and permanent economic|

| storm.†|

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| In the Florida Senate, 20 of the 40 seats are up for election this year. |

| All 120 seats in the Florida House of Representatives are up this year. |

| Constitutional Amendment #5 will be voted on in November. It will |

| dramatically alter Florida’s revenue base in a stark way. Unlike the |

| historical stagflation period of yesterday, today the powers that be seem |

| to be relying on an economic theory that will ultimately kill the goose. |

| With elections coming soon, the people of Florida and the advocates of |

| people with disabilities need to go to the polls and elect some leaders! |

| We can stop the erosion, but we have to act decisively!!! |

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| Sincerely, |

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| Terry R. Farmer |

| President & CEO |

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| Remember to visit www.floridaarf.org to access up-to-date industry |

| initiatives and information. |

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| Florida Association of |

| Rehabilitation Facilities |

| 2475 Apalachee Parkway Suite 205 |

| Tallahassee, Florida 32301-4946 |

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| © Copyright 2008 All Rights Reserved. |

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