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GUEST EDITORIAL - By
Rep. Craig Ford House budget puts lives at risk Last week, the Alabama House of Representatives passed a General Fund budget that endangers the lives of thousands of Alabama families, children, and seniors. The cuts in this budget are so severe that 11 Republicans went against their own party's leadership and joined House Democrats in voting against it. The House's budget proposes cutting or eliminating funding for healthcare programs, nutrition and food assistance programs, and public safety. One of the most significant cuts in this budget is a 30 percent cut in funding for Medicaid, a joint federal and state healthcare program for children, the disabled, and nursing home residents. Earlier this month, a spokeswoman for Gov. Robert Bentley called these cuts to Medicaid “irresponsible.” Dr. Pippa Abston, a pediatrician from Huntsville, has said that these cuts will cause children in Alabama to die. The cuts to Medicaid also endanger the health and lives of thousands of adults in Alabama. Because of these cuts to the Medicaid budget, many elderly people will be forced out of their nursing homes, patients will no longer receive the medication they need, and services such as hospice and dialysis may be eliminated. But cutting Medicaid's budget is not only “irresponsible,” it is also foolish. For every dollar the state spends on Medicaid, the federal government matches it at a rate of more than 2-to-1. By cutting $175 million from Medicaid's budget, Alabama is leaving at least $525 million on the table. In addition to the cuts to Medicaid, this budget cut more than 32 percent from the Department of Public Health, including funding for early detection of breast and cervical cancer, leaving thousands of Alabama women at risk. Alabama's children are especially penalized by this budget. In addition to the cuts to Medicaid, this budget eliminated all funding for the Department of Children's Affairs and the Department of Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention. This budget also cuts funding for the Department of Human Resources by over 24 percent. The Department of Human Resources oversees programs such as child support and food assistance. Without adequate funding, many families may be put in jeopardy because of delays or clerical errors with their child support or food assistance that could be avoided. State-supported healthcare is not the only issue that will be hurt by this budget. Several departments that oversee matter related to public safety and law enforcement have also seen drastic cuts in their funding. The Office of Prosecution Services is losing over one-fifth of its budget, while the Department of Forensic Sciences is being cut by more than 12 percent. But perhaps most surprising of all is that the Department of Corrections, which oversees the state's prison system, is being cut by over 10 percent, even though Gov. Bentley promised in his State of the State Address to fully fund Alabama's prison system. For 136 years, Alabama Democrats controlled our state government. During that time, Alabama had the lowest taxes in the nation and our government never shut down – not even during the Great Depression. Alabama's families, children, and seniors deserve better than what they are getting in this budget. Rep. Craig Ford, D-Gadsden, is Minority Leader in the Alabama House of Representatives. |