From the Savannah Morning News, [Atlanta] NeighborNewspapers.com, Macon [GA] Telegraph and  Dawsonville [GA] Times.com:

More than a thousand disability rights advocates rallied on the steps of the Georgia Capitol this week, insisting that legislators improve state funding to help people with disabilities live in their own homes instead of institutions.

Advocates said conditions have improved in recent years, but that there are still nearly 7,000 people with disabilities waiting for state waivers to help pay for in-home care. The latest round of budget cuts have left less money for programs to aid people with disabilities, they said.

Advocates also pushed for regulations to require builders of new homes to use construction methods that are accessible for people with disabilities.

Though tax increases have been unpopular with the Republican leadership in power, supporters made sure legislators knew about a recent poll they commissioned showing a willingness to increase taxes to help disabled people. According to the poll, 58 percent of people said they’d be willing to pay more in state and local taxes to provide more of these services.

“There is no debate,” Dave Blanchard, director of public policy for the Atlanta Alliance on Developmental Disabilities, told the crowd assembled outside the Capitol. “This poll clearly shows that Georgians want the General Assembly to act today.”

Among the signs carried by protesters:

• “Unlock the waiting lists“
• “Hear our voice; Respect our choice!”
• “My body, my choice where I want to live”

(Photo from the Savannah Morning News)

This entry was posted on Sunday, March 1st, 2009 at 4:58 pm and is filed under NOT2BEMISSED, accessibility, advocacy, waiting list/waivers, wheelchair. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.