Buy Back the Cut Campaign

• Forecast deficit down $209 Million
• Urge legislators to use that money to eliminate our rate cut
• Make contacts by Friday March 12th

What the forecast said:

The outlook for the overall state budget in the current biennium got slightly better in the February budget forecast.  The budget deficit, projected to be just over $1.2 billion in November, is down to $994 million – a $209 million decrease.  Of that decrease, $184 million is the result of lower projected spending, primarily in the health and human services area. 

Of the $184 million decrease, $150 million is attributable to health and human services. Spending is lower mainly due to a recent expansion of the enhanced federal matching rate to prescription drug coverage for Medicare Part D recipients.  This lowers the state's obligation by $83 million in the current biennium.  Other small changes in caseloads and average monthly costs across all forecasted programs make up the rest of the decline.

Estimates for the upcoming biennium did not improve.  The total deficit for fiscal years 2012 to 2013 is now estimated at $5.8 billion, up $363 million compared to November estimates, not including another $1.2 billion of estimated inflation. 

What to do:

Governors usually update their budgets after the early March forecast. This year Gov. Tim Pawlenty won't make changes to his original budget, which calls for a 2.5% rate cut. He'll simply leave the $209 million in "new" money as a budget reserve.

Thus our next big effort is an all-out campaign to ask legislators to buy back the 2.5% or $37 million. That $37 million is a small portion of the $209 million in "new" money.

Here's what to do. By Friday March 12th have your people call, email or write a short personal note – in their own words – to their own Representative and Senator.

Ask him or her to eliminate the proposed 2.5% rate cut for disability and aging services. Tell him or her that the cut to Minnesotans with disabilities and seniors is $37 million – a small portion of the $209 million in "new" money. Services for disabilities and seniors is a core service of government and should be a priority.

To find out who your legislators are click here or go to www.arrm.org and find who represents you under "Minnesota district finder."

Please let us know who you or your people contact. If you get a response from your legislator contacts, please give us a brief summary and/or forward their emails. Send your reports to Sara Krogman at the ARRM office, skrogman@arrm.org or use our feedback form.

Celebrate your success! You've already had an impact

Every day, we hear about how your grassroots advocacy efforts are making a significant and lasting impact with legislators. Just a day after ARRM's energizing rally http://www.flickr.com/photos/arrm, House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher and Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller were talking about Gov. Pawlenty's proposed budget cuts on MPR's radio Midday program. They took a call from David, the father of an adult child with a developmental disabilities, who voiced his concern about cutting programs and services for people with disabilities.

Speaker Kelliher commented that she was seeing "a lot of folks over at the Capitol recently who are both parents and caregivers; and people with both physical and developmental disabilities" who were sending the message that lawmakers must maintain funding for programs for Minnesota's most vulnerable citizens. She elaborated, "We have something to be proud of in this state, and that is that people are able to live a more self-determined life because of the type of support we've been willing to provide: personal care assistance, housing support, the ability to do the things people need to do to live as self-sufficiently as they can."

Speaker Kelliher and Sen. Pogemiller also discussed the state's decision to deinstitutionalize people with developmental disabilities, emphasizing that community-based, self-directed services were the "right policy decision," and that a humane citizenry is their shared vision for the state's future.

These comments are a direct result of your efforts and those of our allies in the disability world (Arc, MN-CCD). Keep telling your story and keep up the good work!

To access the forecast go to www.finance.state.mn.us and click on "February Economic Forecast."

This service is available to ARRM members only.