SB 40 MONEY INTENDED FOR SPECIFIC USE

There were no programs for adults with mental retardation 40 years ago. There was help when these individuals were young and of school age, but once they turned 21 they were back home.

There parents and state Sen. Al Spradling Jr. passed Senate Bill 52, which established sheltered workshops. Once their mentally retarded sons and daughters had meaningful work, the same parents turned their attention to living arrangements. They realized that someday their children would need a clean, safe place to live.

Once again, with the help of Senator Spradling, they passed Senate Bill 40, which enabled them to convince their friends and neighbors that their adult retarded sons and daughters were deserving of decent housing, good work environments and related services like transportation to get them back and forth from work and into the community. Taxpayers responded in many counties throughout the state and voted upon themselves taxes to support these specific services.

Recently, people who support other adult programs and services for young children want the money. SB 40 is a specific tax approved for vocational and residential programs. Instead of asking the legislature to enable them to vote new, separate taxes for their programs, they prefer the easier way: get the legislature to change the rules to let them go over the heads of local voters and raid the money for their own programs.

Currently, there are 10,000 people with mental retardation in our state living with parents who are over the age of 65. A crisis is looming. Siphoning money away from these programs will exacerbate the crisis.

The Southeast Missourian's April 13 editorial states there has been confusion over the definition of "related services" and court rulings have made the issue "murkier." The only ambiguity or confusion over the term "related services" referred to in the editorial has been authored by those who would raid the money. Had the tax been for other programs, the ballot language would have said "other programs." It didn't. It clearly stated "related programs" to the sheltered workshops and residential facilities.

The last sentence of the editorial states, "Let local boards decide what's best for their counties, not legislators in Jefferson City." We totally agree. Let local boards fund the programs and services their friends and neighbors so graciously taxed themselves for: adults with mental retardation. And don't let legislators in Jefferson City thwart the will of our local citizens.

Jerry Ford of Cape Girardeau is the executive director of the Association for Retarded Citizens of Missouri.