State Senate Hearing Focuses on Proposed Budget Cuts

Joyce Kryszak (2009-11-03)

State Senate Hearing Focuses on Proposed Budget Cuts (Audio)

BUFFALO, NY (WBFO) – About 200 people packed a union hall in Amherst Monday urging state lawmakers not to approve what they called devastating budget cuts. The state senate finance committee is holding public hearings across the state before deciding on a package of mid-year budget cuts.

Click the audio player above to hear Joyce Kryszak’s full story now or use your podcasting software to download it to your computer or iPod.

The governor says $2.3 billion must be cut to close a growing budget gap. But lawmakers say they need to know what impact the cuts would have. More than 50 Western New York organizations and individuals were eager to tell them.

Chris Hildebrant is director of advocacy for the Center for Disability Rights. He says the governor’s proposed cuts would devastate or eliminate home care services for the disabled. He says the alternative would be more costly nursing homes. Advocates for the disabled and a host of other human service agencies say the governor’s ten percent across the board cuts would make no sense. They say disabled people who get services live better and often become productive tax payers. Craig Donatelli has received help from several agencies from infancy into adulthood. The ECC student says the cuts would stop everything he’s worked for.

Advocates for a myriad of services, as well as the hospitals and schools and libraries all said the cuts would leave the vulnerable most hurt. Senator Carl Kruger is chair of the oversight hearings. He agrees many of the across the board cuts are unacceptable and do not even make sense.

The governor will lead a joint session in Albany next Monday to discuss progress with the reduction plan. A special session is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 10.

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