Once again it appears that funding for services for people with disabilities may be targeted for further cuts. In the May 12, 2009 edition of the Providence Journal, it is reported that House Finance Committee Chairman ”Costantino would not rule out sweeping cuts to human service programs for the elderly and disabled….”

In the past, action and advocacy around funding for services has proven effective. While we can all appreciate the hard economic times our State faces, the people we support have endured enough cuts in their funding.

We are again asking everyone to become involved in a letter writing campaign with a very clear message – NO MORE CUTS. Because many are not comfortable in designing their own letters, click here for a template for your reference in Microsoft Word or PDF. Feel free to amend the template to suit your message. Click here for points you may want to reference in your letter. Also below is a web site where you can find out who your Senator and Representative is based on your address. If you do not have access to a computer, feel free to call Perspectives and we will get your legislator info for you; be prepared to provide your full name and street address.

If you would like assistance in writing your letters, there are also four letter writing sessions that have been scheduled over the next week.

1. Thursday, May 21st, 5:00-8:00pm at the Fogarty Center, 220 Woonasquatucket Ave., N. Providence
2. Thursday, May 21st, 5:00-8:00pm at the Trudeau Center, 3445 Post Road, Warwick
3. Saturday, May 23rd, 9:00-12:00 at the Fogarty Center, 220 Woonasquatucket Ave., N. Providence
4. Saturday, May 23rd 9:00-12:00 at the Trudeau Center, 250 Commonwealth Ave., Warwick

Please provide us with a copy of your letter to your Senator and/or Representative, as we are also going to provide them in bulk to the House Finance Committee, who are responsible for the budget.

This is the first of a series of activities we will be promoting in an effort to inform our legislators of the need to preserve services for people with disabilities. Next week will have a phone campaign to all legislators, conveying the same message; more information about that will come out towards the end of this week.

If you need further information, feel free to contact Casey Gartland at (401) 294-3390 or at cgartland@perspectivescorporation.com.

How to Obtain Voter Information

1. Go to Rhode Island Office of Secretary of State website,
2. Look on the right side of the page
3. Scroll down and click on Voter Information Center tab.
4. Type in the required information and click on Search.
5. Your State Senator and Representative appear towards the bottom- please do not use the Federal Senator and Representative.