Sarah Palin Slashed Funding for Special Needs Kids 60% in One Year

[Tim4319]

Some more Republicans thanking about the people who can use the most help! John McCain voted against funding for the troops, and he was in the military. Now, it was brought to my attention that Sarah Palin slashed funding for special needs kids by 60%, and she has a child with special needs. This is a shame!

http://momocrats.typepad.com/momocrats/2008/09/sarah-palin-sla.html

In that budget, the budget actuals are (FY = Fiscal Year):

FY 2005 6945.30
FY 2007 Management Plan 7949.30
FY 2007 Governors 8265.30

Palin was elected governor in November of 2006, and assumed her position in January 2007.

When budget time rolled around in 2007, Sarah Palin---self professed advocate for special needs chldren, mother to a special needs child, aunt to a special needs child, and who promised in her acceptance speech last night that she was there for special needs children---slashed the budget. When she said she would be a "friend and advocate in the White House," I guess she just meant in words, not with actual money for needed services.

Here's what the State of Alaska FY2008 Governor’s Operating Budget for the Department of Education and Early Development Special Schools Component Budget Summary shows:

FY 2006 7949.30
FY 2007 Management Plan 3173.70
FY 2008 Governor 3156.00

You see right. Under Governor Palin, funds decreased from a planned budget of 8265.30 to 3156.0. That's a 62% decrease. Actual consumed amount went from 7949.3 to 3156.00, where it lingers to this day. That's a 60% decrease.

How many children lost services? Too many.

[DesertFlower]

1. she also slashed funding

for teenage mothers.

[EmperorHasNoClothes]

2. The key is that she cut it BEFORE she had a special needs child

And, like all Republicans, she demonstrates a total absence of empathy, so she has no problem cutting social programs that don't personally benefit HER.

[demigoddess]

5. there is such a thing as Karma, and it doesn't take years or decades to kick in

Edgar Cayce says handicapped people are usually here to teach us something. Lets hope she learns how to listen.

[BuyingThyme]

3. I don't think Alaskan politics will matter to anybody.

Except for that whole law-enforcement-corruption thing.

That's the key to proving business as usual.

[Muttocracy]

4. are those figures all in thousands? nt

[Cha]

6. Rec'd and a Kick..this can't be

stressed enough.

[Ilsa]

7. A program got moved out of the Ed Dept Spec Needs budget and

placed with the Vet/Military budget. I don't know why. It could be that the program, called Alaska Youth Challenge Academy was really just a military style bootcamp for teens with behavior problems. She moved it to a different part of the budget and renamed it Alaska Military Academy or something, if it is the same thing. That is the decrease in dollars.

However, there is not a dime of increase from year to year in her Ed Dept Spec Needs budget, which is pathetic. We need to be careful to present this information factually:

http://www.gov.state.ak.us/omb/07_OMB/budget/EED/comp2735.pdf
http://www.gov.state.ak.us/omb/08_OMB/budget/EED/comp2735.pdf
http://www.gov.state.ak.us/omb/09_omb/budget/EED/comp2735.pdf

[Tim4319]

8. Thanks for the info.

It appears that regardless of where the funds are being cut, it as being cut from those that could use the funds the most. Truly pathetic!

[Arugula Latte]

9. This needs to be spread far and wide to special needs kids message boards

Does anyone here frequent any? It seems to me this is a particularly cutting and important bit of news. She's pretending to be an advocate for the very thing she slashed. What a "pro lifer" she is. :grr: