Hundreds of able Kansans, who once languished in institutions, have been helped into the work force as taxpaying citizens. A system that once invested disability dollars in only five counties now spreads services and dollars into 105 counties. While it is admirable that Gov. Bill Graves, in his fiscal year 2002 budget, offered money to serve the waiting list, he has failed to enable service providers to keep pace with the cost of business and the cost of employee pay. Thus as expectations increase, the providers' ability to serve decreases. Good employees deserve pay increases.
Legislative leaders know it and have shown it.
Since 1993, legislators have raised state employee pay by about 35 percent. Their pay base has been raised less than 1 percent per year in that same period. Many legislators supported, along with Gov. Graves, the DD Reform Act of 1995. The act promised adequate and reasonable funding for community services. Of course not.