Fitzsimon File

It’s the old right-wing ideology, not the new reality
Tuesday, November 16th, 2010
By Chris Fitzsimon

The latest absurd take on the Republicans vow to address the state's anticipated $3.5 billion budget shortfall only by slashing budgets of schools and human services is that it is the new reality.

Republican Representative-elect Bill Brawley from Mecklenburg County told the Charlotte Observer this week that the state "only has so much money" and that If that means "some things that had been funded aren't, it's unfortunate. But it's not something over which we have control."

Those things that are likely not to be funded adequately if Brawley and his colleagues have their way include the public schools, the mental health system, and programs to give at-risk kids the help they need to have a fighting chance when they get to school. That would be a lot worse than unfortunate.

And funding for all of those things is well under the control of Brawley and his fellow Republicans. The new reality they want us to accept is not reality at all, it is anti-government ideology from the right-wing think tanks whose misinformation framed the talking points for Republicans candidates during the campaign and who are now trying to convince us that the problem is simply that we have more government than we can afford.

But these people who don't believe in government in the first place. They would rather privatize public education with vouchers and tax credits than support well-funded effective public schools. They'd rather turn over health and safety regulations to their holy free market and hope that no business cuts any corners to increase profits and puts us all at risk.

It's not about having more government than we can afford. It is about having more government than the rigid right-wing ideology would allow, and that's not much government at all.

It's really not that complicated. Every state budget is a series of choices and though a $4 billion shortfall is daunting problem, it is not impossible to solve it with a combination of budget cuts and new revenue to minimize the damage the public institutions that the vast majority of North Carolinians support.

The ideal approach would include an overhaul of the state's outdated revenue system and a broadening of sales tax base to include services. That would bring in additional revenue even if the overall rate was reduced slightly. Lawmakers could also end some of the corporate tax breaks that cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars every year.

If the Republican majorities are unwilling to take on the entrenched special interests that oppose such a plan, they could at least extend the 2009 tax cuts that are set to expire at the end of this fiscal year.

That would reduce the budget shortfall by close to $1.5 billion. They could raise cigarette and alcohol taxes to raise another $250 million, tax increases which the polls show the majority of people in North Carolina support raising to save public services. That would still leave $1.5 billion to cut, not any easy task, but at least there'd be a decent chance of merely damaging vital institutions, not destroying them.

It's far from a perfect approach. The 2009 revenue package relied on an increase in the regressive sales tax to raise most of its revenue and the excise taxes are also disproportionately paid by the poor.

But people are already paying the additional taxes, and though it is a burden on low-income families that ought to be reduced in the future, the state's economic climate is hardly suffering because of the 2009 tax package.

In fact, just the opposite, as economist and Locke Foundation adjunct scholar Mike Walden points out when he describes North Carolina as one of the states that is best positioned for the economic recovery.

Confronting the special interests and reforming the revenue system is a far better plan. The worst idea is to raise no new revenue at all and instead balance the budget on the backs of teachers and people with a mental illness or a disability.

That would be more than an ill-defined new reality. That would be the intentional creation of suffering to serve a hard-line right wing ideology and that's not what the people of North Carolina want or deserve.

NC Policy Watch

A hint of things to come

Tuesday, November 9th, 2010

By Chris Fitzsimon

If you are wondering how the new Republican majorities in the General Assembly will handle the state's $3.5 billion shortfall next year, a few statements in the last few days provide some clues.

The leading candidates for House Speaker, Representative Paul Stam and Representative Thom Tillis, appeared this weekend on the WRAL-TV public affairs show On the Record along with NC GOP Chair Tom Fetzer.

The program started with a news story about the potential cuts to services to people with disabilities and included a comment from an official with the ARC of North Carolina, a group that provides services to the disabled and advocates on their behalf. She said that deep cuts on top of the ones made in the last two years would be devastating and pointed out that 7,000 people are currently on the waiting list for help.

A few minutes after the story, host David Crabtree asked Fetzer if it would be a public relations problem for the Republican Party if its legislative leaders followed through on their pledge not to raise any new revenue to address the shortfall and made it up by deeply slashing the state budget and cutting services like the ones featured in the story.

Public relations may have been an odd thing to ask about, but Fetzer's response was far more troubling. He told Crabtree that "we need people to get in charge and do what's best for the whole state of North Carolina and if some special interests get trimmed along the way, then so be it."

The message was clear. People with disabilities are a special interest. Anybody who opposes the Republicans' efforts to cut 20 percent or more from education and human services must be a special interest too, people with a mental illness, teachers, at-risk kids.

It's not much different than what the head of the Locke Foundation calls advocates for people who need services or teachers who speak out for smaller classes—he lumps then all together in what he calls the "spending lobby" in Raleigh, people he thinks should be ignored or run over when it comes time to write the budget.

Tillis said shortly after the election last week that the cuts the Republicans plan to make could lead to "legitimate, sad stories about people who may end up suffering," presumably Fetzer's "special interests."

Stam told Crabtree that the university system is likely to suffer severe cuts next year and that may be an understatement. Another staff member of the Locke Foundation, whose right-wing budget proposals are a blueprint for Republicans, told a reporter that some campuses of the UNC system may have to be consolidated or closed.

That was the worst case scenario outlined by outgoing UNC President Erskine Bowles last week at his last meeting with the Board of Governors.

But it's not a worst case scenario at all to the folks at the Locke Foundation and the Republican leaders with their dogmatic refusal to consider raising new revenue. It's an opportunity, a chance to dismantle the government they loathe, regardless of the damage and pain it creates. Calling the most vulnerable people in the state a special interest hardly makes it okay to hurt them.

Disaster Reponse Training

North Carolina’s Disaster Response Network (DRN) is pleased to offer training to licensed mental health professionals who are interested in becoming involved in disaster mental health response. Developed by the DRN along with the NC Center for Public Health, this course is designed to educate licensed mh professionals about the unique aspects of disaster work and is a pre-requisite for membership in the DRN. The training is divided into two parts: Part I is online; registration is free & open to everyone, not just licensed mh professionals. It consists of eight thirty minute modules, covering topics ranging from phases of disaster & mh intervention to ethical issues & volunteer activation. To access Part I please go to http://cphp.sph.unc.edu/training/nc_drn/.

After completing Part I you may register for Part II, a 2 hour in-person workshop focusing on disaster simulations and hands-on activities. The next live workshop is on Friday, November 5th in Fayetteville, at the Cumberland County MH Center. The cost of the live workshop is $60 & a registration form is attached. Completion of Parts I & II is worth 6 HOURS of Continuing Education Credit!!

To register or find out more about the training as well as the DRN please go to http://cphp.sph.unc.edu/training/nc_drn/.

If you have any questions please contact Elizabeth Cloud of the NC Psychological Association at ncpaelizabeth@mindspring.com.

ARC Survey

TAKE ONE AND PASS ALONG – THE ARC FINDS SURVEY

The Arc seeks individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their families or caregivers to participate in a national disability needs survey. The Arc FINDS (Family and Individual Needs for Disability Supports) is a free, online survey designed to tap into the knowledge and perspectives of individuals and families within the I/DD community, including self-advocates on different issues across the life span. So far, thousands of people have taken the survey; more participants are being sought as every opinion will count. Results will provide greater understanding about what services are being received, where gaps exist, and what new supports may be needed from the individual and family perspective. To access the online survey, go to: http://www.thearc.org and link to the survey from the home page – and pass the word along to others. Take one and pass along!

DisABILITY Rights

Participate in One of the Listening Sessions Being Held Across the State -- We Want to Hear from You! Over the next three months, Disability Rights North Carolina will host public Listening Sessions across the State. At these sessions, Executive Director Vicki Smith will lead conversations that will help define our organization's issue targets for the next three years. This is a great opportunity for you to share your thoughts with Disability Rights NC. Don't miss these Listening Sessions if . . . You are curious about how Disability Rights NC selects the cases it accepts; You want to have input into the types of cases Disability Rights NC accepts; You want to share critical information with Disability Rights NC about the violation of the rights of people with disabilities in our State. All Listening Sessions are open to the public. Pass this along to other people you know who want to ensure that all people with disabilities in North Carolina are treated equally and fairly, and have full access to the community. If you plan to attend and need an ASL interpreter, please contact Janice Willmott at janice.willmott@disabilityrightsnc.org to request assistance.

Mon., August 23 Lumberton 11:00 am - 1:00 pm East Resource Center 1608 E. 5th Street Fayetteville 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm Bordeaux Branch Library 3711 Village Drive Wed., August 25 Greenville 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Sheppard Memorial Library Room A, 530 Evans Street Wilson 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm Wilson Public Library 249 Nash Street Mon., Sept. 20 Boone 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Watauga County Public Library 140 Queen Street Tues., Sept. 28 Durham 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm East Regional Library 211 Lick Creek Lane Wed., Sept. 29 Weldon 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Halifax Community College Multi-Purpose Room 200 College Drive Tues.,October 5 Charlotte 11:00 am - 1:00 pm Main Library 310 N. Charlotte Street Salisbury 4:00 pm - 6:00 pmRowan Public Library Hurley Room 201 W. Fisher Street Thur., October 14 Asheville 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Public Works Building Room A11 161 S. Charlotte Street Fri., October 15 Sylva (Time and Location to be determined) Thur., October 21 Winston-Salem 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm Miller Park Community Center 400 Leisure Lane Reidsville 4:30 pm - 6:30 pm YMCA, BB&T Room 504 S. Main Street

New Director of Advocacy, Policy & Legislation

Greetings!

After a busy short session, the blog is back with a new staff member!

My name is Kay Paksoy and I am absolutely honored to be introducing myself as the new Director of Advocacy, Policy and Legislation. I graduated from Campbell University in May of 2009 with my BSW. During my years in college, I worked with youth in an organization know as the Governor’s One on One Program that helped juveniles’ find positive mentors. I worked primarily with youth that had been sentenced to community service and helped them find work and other positive outlets during free time on the weekends and holidays from school to help enrich their lives. I also helped promote the organization through advocacy efforts and spreading awareness about the program.
While taking social work classes, my passion always floated towards the macro side of social work. I loved getting to advocate and fight for issues that affect social workers and their clients. In the summer of 2008, I studied abroad in London, England and was privileged to intern with an organization known as Marie Stopes International. While this is primarily an organization that provides health care services for women as well as provide family planning initiatives, I worked in the headquarters with the press department and worked on several projects. The most popular project was known as Zoom In! During this project, we worked with about thirteen other countries and handed disposable cameras to youth in different schools asking them to take pictures of issues that affect them. What an overwhelming response we got! The youth really responded to this project and we complied their stories and pictures into an advocacy effort and presented our findings as well as personal stories from the youth to members at the Houses of Parliament. This was my first true advocacy effort and I was beside myself with excitement and dedication. After that summer, I started my senior year in college and began my internship with NASW. During my work as an intern, I worked on a License Plate bill and Title Protection for Social Workers. I also attended meetings with Jack and Kathy and was also able to reach out to students in local BSW programs. I loved my internship with NASW and was sad to leave at the end of school. I stayed on to do some contract work with Jack throughout the summer. After this, I began working at the Methodist Home for Children in a Level 2 Group Home. I loved my work with the teenagers in the home but my heart kept coming back to advocacy and policy.
Outside of my educational experiences, I have been blessed to work on several mission trip teams both locally and internationally. My more memorable trips have landed me in South Africa. Twice to work with orphans in impoverished areas and also working with an organization in Cape Town, South Africa this past May working with underprivileged kids in not so safe communities helping to provide positive after school care.
I am both nervous and excited to be embarking on this journey and hope it is a positive one for all of us. I am excited to be representing social workers as we gear up for the 2011 Long Legislative Session!