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Highlands Today

Governor Crist

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Deborah Linton

Published: February 5, 2009

Gov. Charlie Crist lived up to his promise to protect Florida's most vulnerable citizens by vetoing cuts in line items 128 and 129 in the Agency for Persons with Disabilities Budget.

Crist had stated his intent at the beginning of a special session to protect certain citizen groups in Florida. These two line items would have hurt persons with developmental disabilities around the state. The cuts in line items 128 and 129 represented another 5 percent reduction to services in local communities. The same services had already received 7 percent in the regular 2008 session.

The Arc worked so hard on this issue because people were definitely in danger of losing their residential homes, services to assist their families so that they could continue to live at home and services that assist them in acquiring skills.

The Arc of Florida has been the voice in Florida for persons with developmental disabilities for over 55 years. It is a non-profit corporation founded and still led by families of persons with developmental disabilities, all whom are grateful to the governor today for recognizing their needs.

For further information contact Deborah Linton, executive director, The Arc of Florida 850-921-0460 or Rhonda Beckman, executive director, Ridge Area Arc at 452-1295.

Deborah Linton Avon Park

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