RSSHealth providers, disabled decry potential impact of I-1033
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YAKIMA, Wash. -- Disabled patients and health care providers on Tuesday blasted Tim Eyman's push to cap government tax collections, saying it would worsen what they called Yakima's health care crisis.
Eyman's Initiative 1033, which is on the November ballot, would cap state, county and city tax increases at a rate matching inflation and population growth.
Anything more would have to be approved by voters.
At a press conference at Provident Horizon Group, a clinic that serves the disabled at 1510 S. 36th Ave., patients and health care officials said such a move would mean disaster to already strained budgets.
"Times are tough enough and let's not make them worse," the clinic's Chief Operations Officer Tom Gaulke said later in the afternoon. "It would affect many programs that rely on city, county and state budgets."
Eyman couldn't immediately be reached for comment Tuesday afternoon.
Gaulke said a state budget crisis this year already led to 70 percent cuts in some health care programs for the disabled.
One program, Adult Day Health, which offers disabled people services in their homes rather than in nursing homes, was cut so deep that 950 patients were dropped statewide, including six in the Yakima Valley, he said.
It costs less to provide services at home than putting disabled patients in nursing homes, which is covered under federal spending, he said.
Under the initiative, the program would stand a minimal chance of ever regaining the statewide budget cut it underwent this year, he said.
Given the current economic situation, most governments are already operating on bare-bones budgets, he said.
"Which are quite honestly desperate levels considering the current economy," he added.
Gaulke's clinic now serves about 25 people in a state that ranks 39th nationally in providing funding for programs for the disabled, he said citing a report from the state Department of Social and Health Services.
"Everyone has been cut to the bone," he said. "It's not a time to say, 'let's cap everything.' "
I-1033 doesn't affect a @#$% thing if those seeking evermore of the people's money get permission first. Seems reasonable.
Report ViolationAs the Seattle Times states today, the state and local share of property taxes would go to zero in about five years, leaving the state completely dependent on sales tax. We can see how bad that is. After cutting $9 billion last session, legislators are having to cut another $1 to $2 billion more. This is no joke.
We would never be able to restore basic services, or to adequately fund education. When the people voted initiatives to lower class sizes and to pay teachers better, there was no funding. Tim Eyman never mentions that his initiatives make adequate education funding impossible.
Listen closely people to what these people are actually saying. They are saying they don't want to go to the taxpayers to get extra funding.
Sarajane - The voters have the ability, at anytime, to pass an increase if they deem the increase to be warranted. Your arguement about funding schools, proves that the public will and can support the programs they really want. We saw this with the 1/2 of 1 percent tax approved by the voters of Yakima County for Law Enforcement. The voters will pay for the services they want.
I understand that Washington taxpayers want a break but this is not it. Think about this if a city is either Seattle or Soap Lake they have to vote everytime they city needs money. To either buy equipment to fix something or a disaster that drained the city finiaces. Can you imagine everytime going and voting to hire more police officers because crime increased, tell that to the family member that lost a loved one to a violent crime because there wasn't enough policemen to protect the city or county. People I believe we need change in goverment but not this iniative. Also, think about all the big wig rich people that save thousands or millions and don't pay it foward because they won't. Also, prices for needed equipment or supplies go up to maintan cities or counties roads, sewers, water, public saftey, etc, etc. And now we have to spend money (thousands) to vote to increase the taxies to help pay for our needed resources. Come on people think outside of tim eymans box and really look. Why don't we work on making a better plan then this before we ruin our state. Remember, there is more then Western Washington out there so think about the whole state and just not yourself.
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