Rep. Allen Disappointed in Nixon’s Decision to Withhold Funding for the Developmentally Disabled
One of the government’s most important roles is adequately providing for society’s most vulnerable citizens. Unfortunately, Governor Nixon’s priorities on this matter are greatly misguided. After months of touting the value of expanding Medicaid to provide free healthcare for able-bodied and able-minded adults, Governor Nixon withheld $13.8 million for Missourians with developmental disabilities from the budget passed by the General Assembly. Since these funds were withheld and not vetoed, they can be released later at the Governor’s discretion.
At the Bar-B-Q the last week of session, Governor Nixon complimented me on the Appropriations Committee’s hard work to better meet the needs of the developmentally disabled community. His decision to turn around and withhold funding for a program he once supported is nothing more than a political move to force the General Assembly to accept his veto on House Bill 253, which lowers the individual and corporate income tax rates in Missouri for the first time in nearly a century.
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The Value of Missouri’s Sheltered Workshops
While in St. Louis County, I took two of my colleagues, Representatives Denny Hoskins and Tom Flanigan, to visit Lafayette Industries, a sheltered workshop that specializes in packaging services for businesses while providing full-time employment for 360 adults with developmental disabilities.
Lafayette Industries began in 1976 as a one-room packaging operation and is now a thriving business with state-of-the-art equipment and an 85,000+ square foot plant/ warehouse. Most importantly, its return on investment in human benefits and revenue is tremendous.
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Representative Sue Allen 