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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>People rallied today at the State Capitol for
legislators invest in disability services<BR>and vote against budget
cuts.<BR>Disability advocates are hoping to highlight the importance of
disability services<BR>in Missouri at the ninth annual Disability Rights and
Legislative Day.<BR>JEFFERSON CITY - Hundreds of Missourians rallied Tuesday
against cuts to disability<BR>services and promote equality for Missourians with
and without disabilities.<BR>They gathered for the Ninth Annual Disability
Rights Legislative Day.<BR>March is developmental disabilities month and
Missourians packed the capitol rotunda<BR>on Tuesday for the state's one million
people with disabilities. Meanwhile, the state<BR>House of Representatives is
budget planning this week, which may mean cuts to Missouri's<BR>disability
funding. Disability Rights Advocate Max Lewis said $500 million of
the<BR>disability service budget is up for cuts, an amount he says is much
larger than Missourians<BR>depending on the services can afford to
lose.<BR>"Persons with disabilities right now, they can't stand any more cuts."
Lewis said.<BR>"This is the area that needs the most attention and needs to
become more inclusive.<BR>If anything it needs to be expanded."<BR>Marilyn
Whittle from Rolla, Missouri has a mental disability and worries budget
cuts<BR>may mean extra costs she can't afford.<BR>"I've been having a really
tough winter because my electric bill has been so high<BR>and my rent has been
so high and it takes all the money that I have," Whittle said.<BR>Lewis said the
waiting list for developmental disability services is 5,000
Missourians<BR>long.<BR>"So many people with disabilities without the help, they
wind up in nursing homes<BR>and it's just not what we want. It's really turning
the clock back." Lewis said.<BR>"We're talking about a basic necessity here of
human rights. These people that are<BR>waiting to get on the waiting list,
think of it as if it were your brother or sister."<BR>Lewis advocates that
people with disabilities talk to their elected officials about<BR>the importance
of their services. He hopes the large turnout on Tuesday will
increase<BR>awareness on the rights Missourians with disabilities
deserve.<BR>State Senator Wes Shoemyer spoke to the crowd Tuesday in support of
equality and<BR>increased services for Missourians with disabilities. His
daughter's success in independence<BR>amidst dealing with a mental disability
inspired him to advocate for other Missourians.<BR>"We in the government should
reflect that value, that social compact. That if my<BR>neighbor needs some help,
especially in the least of us, we'll never be all that<BR>we can be in the state
until everyone can be all that they can be." Shoemyer said.<BR>"I'm always proud
about making sure that the community-based services are there,<BR>that the
reimbursement that we need for those services are there, for them to
have<BR>their boards, their commissions are there."<BR>No cuts to disability
service funding have been decided on yet.<BR>Reported by:<BR>Alison
Archer<BR>Published: Tuesday, March 23, 2010 at 11:13 AM<BR>Last Updated:
Tuesday, March 23, 2010 at 7:34 PM<BR></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>