Rally held in front of Governor Cuomo’s Long Island office regarding cuts to programs and services for individuals with developmental disabilities
(Garden City, NY) The Alliance of Long Island Agencies, Inc., a group of 32 agencies providing services to individuals with developmental disabilities across Long Island, held a rally today, Friday, March 15, 2013, in front of Governor Cuomo’s Long Island office. The rally, to protest Cuomo’s proposed $240 million cut in funding effective April 1, 2013 for programs and services for individuals with developmental disabilities, drew nearly 5,000 individuals served, family members and employees.
“We want the Legislature and Governor to know that a cut of 6% is unacceptable,” commented Seth Stein, Executive Director of the Alliance. “We have already taken substantial cuts over the last 5 years. A cut of this magnitude will inevitably effect access to services, programs, jobs and salaries and benefits for direct care workers that taker care of our consumers.”
In Governor Cuomo’s 30-day amendments to his 2013-2014 budget, only developmental disabilities services was targeted for an immediate reduction in funding. If this drastic cut is imposed, the developmental disabilities system will have taken net cuts of $350 million since April 1, 2008.
“The Executive Directors unanimously pledged to take a 6% cut in their salaries if the proposed 6% rate cut is restored and to apply the savings to direct support staff salary and benefits,” added Stein.
The Alliance member agencies serve over 10,000 individuals with disabilities and their families, providing residential and day program services in Nassau and Suffolk Counties.
