Atlanta Journal Constitution letter to the editor

Thank you to Joni Pelta for writing this letter and sharing with us that it was printed.

READERS WRITE
By Joni Pelta, Robert W. Keeler, A. Jean Richardson

For the Journal-Constitution

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Perdue needs to get hooked on special-needs kids

Every January brings the same rituals to Georgia. There’s a cold snap and a hard freeze. The Legislature resumes work under the Gold Dome. Special-needs parents and supporters must lobby hard to get funding for their loved ones’ programs.

I realize this year that state sales tax and other revenues are down as the economy stagnates. If the pie that all government programs feed from has shrunk, all worthy groups have to work even harder to grab their meager crumbs. That I can accept.

What rankles this parent of a special-needs child is that while Gov. Sonny Perdue and his staff nibble yearly to cut the crumbs of funding from special-needs programs, somehow there is $23 million for Perdue’s Go Fish project in Perry. Fishing is a fun, worthy hobby. However, why is building fishing facilities a bigger priority than those with special needs? Why is there never enough money to get the more than 6,700 people with special needs off the state waiting list and receive the services they need to become active, contributing members of society?

JONI PELTA

Atlanta

What do you think? Go to www.unlockthewaitinglists.com to learn more.