ACTION ALERT: YOUR ACTION NEEDED!!! (Special Joint Budget Hearing)

Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities

SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND THEIR FAMILIES TOOK A BIG HIT DURING THE FY09 BUDGET FIX.

Legislators are still in the process of resolving an even greater budget deficit (estimated $3 billion) for FY 2010.

If protecting critical services from even worse cuts is important to you, then the time to ACT is now!!!

Next Thursday, Legislators will be meeting to facilitate hearings on the FY09-10 Budget for the Department of Economic Security (DES) and other agencies.

DES provides a number of critical services that people with disabilities and their families depend on!!!

Although we cannot guarantee you'll be afforded a chance to speak, it probably still makes sense to show up if you can since this could potentially affect you and those you care about!!!!

If you plan to attend, you'll need to sign up to request to speak at the hearing. You can do so by signing up for an account at any of the kiosks located in the lobby area of either the House or Senate buildings. If you have trouble, ask one of the staff to help you. You'll also need the Hearing Information so it's a good idea to print this email and take it with you.

If you already have an active account and want to submit your concerns to the Committee without attending in person, you can do so by logging in at, http://alistrack.azleg.gov/rts/aplogin.asp

Note: The username and password is the same information that you use to log in at the kiosk located in the State Senate lobby and House of Representatives' lobby.

If you cannot attend, AT THE VERY LEAST, please contact the legislators below who are assigned to this Committee and let them know that you're counting on them to PROTECT SERVICES PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND THEIR FAMILIES DEPEND ON, FROM ANY FURTHER CUTS!!!!!!

YOU MUST ACT NOW AND THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS IF YOU HOPE TO INFLUENCE WHAT IS DECIDED ON YOUR BEHALF!!!!

PLEASE CONTACT YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILIES AND HAVE THEM DO THE SAME!!!

YOU CANNOT ACT ONCE AND CALL IT A DAY. IF YOU HOPE TO INFLUENCE THE PROCESS YOU MUST KEEP ADVOCATING EACH AND EVERY DAY IN EVERY REASONABLE WAY YOU CAN. YOU SHOULD ALSO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE YOU KNOW TO DO SO.

IF YOU ABSOLUTELY ARE PRESSED FOR TIME AND CAN ONLY CALL A FEW, THEN CALL THE ONES HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW (THEY ARE THE CHAIRS OF THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEES AND/OR MEMBERS OF THE JOINT COMMITTEE).

Legislators to contact include:

Senate Appropriations Committee


Chairperson: Russell Pearce (R-18)

Phone Number: (602) 926-5760

Email Address:rpearce@azleg.gov


Vice-Chair: Al Melvin (R-26)

Phone Number: (602) 926-4326

Email Address: amelvin@azleg.gov


Member: Pamela Gorman (R-6)

Phone Number: (602) 926-5284

Email Address: pgorman@azleg.gov


Member: Ron Gould (R-3)

Phone Number: (602) 926-4138

Email Address:rgould@azleg.gov


Member: Sylvia Allen (R-5)

Phone Number: (602) 926-5219

Email Address:sallen@azleg.gov


Member: Paula Aboud (D-28)

Phone Number: (602) 926-5262

Email Address:paboud@azleg.gov


Member: Amanda Aguirre (D-24)

Phone Number: (602) 926-4139

Email Address: aaguirre@azleg.gov


Member: Rebecca Rios (D-23)

Phone Number: (602) 926-5685

Email Address: rrios@azleg.gov


Member: Albert Hale (D- 2)

Phone Number: (602) 926-4323

Email Address:ahale@azleg.gov


Member: Jack Harper (R-4)

Phone Number: (602) 926-4178

Email Address: jharper@azleg.gov


Member: Steve Pierce (R-1)

Phone Number: (602) 926-5584

Email Address: spierce@azleg.gov


House Appropriations Committee

Chairperson: John Kavanagh (R-8)

Phone Number: (602) 926-5170

Email Address:jkavanagh@azleg.gov


Vice-Chair: Andy Biggs (R-22)

Phone Number: (602) 926-4371

Email Address:abiggs@azleg.gov


Member: Steve Court (R-18)

Phone Number: (602) 926-4467

Email Address:scourt@azleg.gov


Member: Olivia Cajero Bedford (D-27)

Phone Number: (602) 926-5835

Email Address:ocajerobedford@azleg.gov


Member: Cloves C. Campbell, Jr. (D-16)

Phone Number: (602) 926-3042

Email Address:clcampbell@azleg.gov


Member: Russell Jones (R-24)

Phone Number: (602) 926-3002

Email Address: rjones@azleg.gov


Member: Rich Crandall (R-19)

Phone Number: (602) 926-3020

Email Address:rcrandall@azleg.gov


Member: Matt Heinz (D-29)

Phone Number: (602) 926-3424

Email Address:mheinz@azleg.gov


Member: Nancy McLain (R-3)

Phone Number: (602) 926-5051

Email Address: nmclain@azleg.gov


Member: Rick Murphy (R-9)

Phone Number: (602) 926-3255

Email Address: rmurphy@azleg.gov


Member: Kyrsten Sinema (D-15)

Phone Number: (602) 926-5058

Email Address: ksinema@azleg.gov


Member: David Schapira (D-17)

Phone Number: (602) 926-3028

Email Address: dschapira@azleg.gov


Member: Vic Williams (R-26)

Phone Number: (602) 926-5839

Email Address: vwilliams@azleg.gov