Comments about ‘Critical Utah health services on the chopping block’

There were 7 committee members missing today!! Why was the committee lied to? The public and committee needs to know that DSPD did not make cuts at the Administration level last year, as was asserted in the meeting. The State cut the Support Coordinators who do the work, through privatization, and direct support. The top paying jobs were not cut at all.We still have big government. Why did the seven members skip the meeting today? Where is the representation? People with disabilities and there families can not afford to pay for a lobbyist to wine and dine the committee, so the fifty people who showed up to testify not only fell on deaf ears, but 14 missing ears! Our society will suffer and a greater increase in taxes down the road with increase State expenditures for institutionalization. These are people who have no way to support themselves, and many require lifting, changing of soiled, briefs even need to be fed by someone. Where is the compassion and morality of Utahn's? Where is the out rage from neighbors? Where is the help for these people?

Why is the state legislature cutting millions of dollars that provide essential care for the disabled? We are morally obligated to care for those who cannot care for themselves. I would gladly pay more taxes to keep these programs fully functional.The legislators, in my view,need to cut their own pay before doing this.

Betcha by golly this reps did not forgo their pay raises this year. Next time at a meeting - watch these reps fall to sleep with their eyes open. Mentioning cutting their job or pay - and they would wake up. The best government money can buy. Attack the children, the poor, the elderly, the special needs people. Why - because they cannot defend themselves. Shame on America. Shame on a system that has become so corrupt that those who need our help are ignored. By the way - how about these reps meet out on the street instead of in spacious well lit - heated buildings - costing millions.

Cutting care for the disabled is cruel and unusual. Seriously!? That is horrible! The only reason why is because of people who abuse the system. People who 'claim' disability yet they really don't have one. Now the people who are truly disabled will suffer.

Way to go, Utah.

The legislators actually had their per diem for food raised this year to over $60 per day. That is just to cover FOOD! That amount would pay for all the needs for one foster kid for 4 DAYS!!!!! C'mon people - these are kids and disabled people who can't defend themselves and their needs!

The funding cuts need to start with all these so called state reps. Cut all their pay checks by 10% and our debts would be paid off.

What 7 committee members were missing? I would like to know their names.

If we can give Goldman Sachs 47 million in tax breaks, and a film company 2.8 million, we can finance health care.

Tax breaks to corporations will have to be replaced by the taxpayers in the future, can't we borrow money, or take it from the rainy day fund? Borrowing it would be the same as giving a company a tax break.

I'm not sure I would want Utah controlling my heathcare. They seem to do a miserable job.

Half aren't even "state reps" anymore. Last year the state forced many caseworkers off the state payroll and forced them to create private companies and pay their own benefits and office space. The administrators had nothing cut as the honchos at DSPD protect their friends. Now those former state workers are going to be out of work because DSPD wants to double the caseload of each worker and halve the number of workers. Taking care of the disabled isn't bankrupting us, but if we fail to do so, we are morally bankrupted already.

Several upper level folks at DSPD retired and their positions were not refilled. A hiring freeze has been in place for about 18 months, so DSPD administration is much lower than it was. No support coordinator was forced off the state payroll. Most private employees are making more now than they were working for the state.

The alternate choice was firing many employees outright, and drastically cutting services. Public hearings asking for better ideas were held...and private companies were deemed the best way to handle the cuts.

You can actually go to DSPD's website for all of the facts.

Every administrator makes much more than the support coordinators. Why are their salaries not being cut, and being forced into firings as well?

You can only say private employees are making more because you are completely disregarding the retirement, health benefits, and cost of office space. They used to be state workers with the lavish state benefits, and with the rising costs of healthcare and retirement benefits in this country the state has saved a lot of money by removing the people from those obligations. The fact that their salary is slightly higher than it was before doesn't make up for this fact.

Public hearings were held, and the lawyers LIED. They lied then, and they lie now. You are obviously a DSPD administator or adminstrator sympathizer, and as a support coordinator sympathizer I know that the meetings held were done in the most secret way as possible. Perhaps private companies were a good idea last year to reduce costs, but now you are changing the rules ONCE AGAIN and instead of outright firings that would have provoked a backlash, you get to keep your fat check and underhandly fire.

Why don't you mention that this new budget plans on increasing the caseload from 40 to 80-100 for each support coordinator and further reducing the payout to these private support coordinators who already suffered last year the brunt of the cuts?

Why was it they were determined to be the best way to make cuts? Because then you don't have to say you actually fired them and so discourage them through reduced wages and increased work that they quit themselves? It doesn't take a genius to figure out the best way not to cuts services is to cut the fat paychecks of those at the top of DSPD, but since they are the ones making the determination, fat chance of that happening.

funny thing is... while I was there i went on a tour of the capital and the lady that was giving me a tour told me that the capital building is worth billions of dollars... it has ceilings made out of real gold. are you kidding me? They spent that much on a building when people in their state are homeless? how often do they look up to admire their gold ceilings anyway?

I went to advocate for people with disabilities who couldn't be there themselves - maybe because they have no help and can't even stratch their own nose! .

i went there to be a voice, and I gave them a mouthful.

Can somebody tell me why you need 140 administrators for a department of 135 support coordinators?

And why are supposedly conservative legislators helping big government bureaucrats take the jobs of private buisness owners?