Local vigils to highlight state budget cuts

Advocates for seniors and disabled groups in Southwest Washington will hold candlelight vigils late Thursday afternoon to shine more public light on state budget cuts.

Members of the Clark County Disability Coalition and other local organizations will gather from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the parking lot of the former Kmart store, at 2711 N.E. Andresen Road.

In Stevenson, advocates will meet those same hours in front of the Skamania County Courthouse.

The “Rally to Restore Medicaid Benefits” is in response to state funding reductions that became effective Jan. 1, are planned for March and/or are included in a 2011-13 budget plan issued by Gov. Chris Gregoire last month.

Vigils have been scheduled across the state this week to get the word out.

Advocates know local legislators headed for Olympia to begin their 105-day session next week are keenly aware of the potentially damaging budget cuts.

The general public? Not so much.

“People are losing services and are going to be hurt. I don’t think that the general community is aware of that,” said Darla Helt, mother of a son with disabilities and Clark County Parent Coalition co-coordinator.

Many of the threatened funds help to keep seniors or disabled adults employable, or living independently at home, and reduce the drain on overall public resources.

Among cuts already in effect:

• Washington state has eliminated Medicare Part D copay funding, which means seniors must pay out-of-pocket costs or face losing access to critical medications;

• Medicaid clients no longer get assistance for eyeglasses or hearing aids, nor are their physicians reimbursed for podiatry services;

• School districts no longer receive reimbursement for Medicaid-eligible students whose Individual Education Plan requires medical services;

• More than 40,000 seniors and disabled persons have lost an average 10 percent of in-home (therapy) care hours.

The picture doesn’t appear much brighter in the months ahead. Legislators must cut at least $4.6 billion from about $14 billion in state discretionary funding, for the two-year budget cycle starting in July.

“We understand that legislators are being put in an impossible situation,” Helt said.

But she and others hope that public pressure will lessen the blow on vulnerable groups as lawmakers juggle major reductions in education, public safety and other programs.

“We have an amazing community,” Helt said. “But, they don’t understand all that’s happening, with the cuts.”

In the Clark County area, individuals who wish to join Thursday’s vigil may telephone 971-998-8744.

In Skamania County the contact is Sandy Bacus, at 509-427-7868. Action there is sponsored by the Southwest Washington Aging & Disability Advisory Council.