Going to Annapolis

Carroll County Times
2/26/2009

ANNAPOLIS — With nickels in their hands, a group of clients and employees of The Arc of Carroll County made their way through the Senate and delegate office buildings in Annapolis Wednesday morning in support of a bill that would provide people with developmental disabilities more funding.

The Carroll group was participating in the annual Developmental Disabilities Day. Those from Carroll spoke to Dels. Tanya Shewell, R-District 5, and Susan Krebs, R-District 9, about bills they want to see passed this year.

“We’ve got legislation we feel is very important,” said Don Rowe, executive director of The Arc of Carroll County. The Arc is a private nonprofit that works with people who have developmental disabilities and their families.

The nickels were in support of a bill that would increase the state’s tax on alcoholic beverages. The funds would be used to help to provide support services for Maryland residents with developmental disabilities.

If the legislation passes, the alcohol tax would increase from $1.50 per gallon of distilled spirits to $6 per gallon, from 40 cents per gallon of wine to $1.60, and from 9 cents per gallon of beer to 36 cents.

The Developmental Disabilities Coalition said those increases would translate to roughly a 5 cent tax increase per drink.

According to information provided by the Developmental Disabilities Coalition, Maryland currently has the lowest excise tax on distilled spirits at about 2 cents per shot, and the taxes on a glass of wine and a 12-ounce beer are about 2 cents and 1 cent, respectively. The excise tax on distilled spirits has not been changed since 1955 and the excise tax on beer and wine has not been changed since 1972.

The Maryland Developmental Disabilities Administration reported that as of Jan 1, there were 18,750 people on the waiting list to receive services. In Carroll, 382 people remain on the waiting list to receive state funding for community services and support such as employment programs, respite care and residential services.

According to the DDA, if the funding increased it would mean another $29 million annually for people waiting for services and to help pay for support workers services.
The bill states that 27.5 percent of the revenue from the increase would go to the Developmental Disability Support Fund. Another 27.5 percent goes to an addiction treatment and prevention fund. The remaining revenue will pay for administrative costs and go into the general fund.

Krebs didn’t say if she supported the bill, but said she was committed to helping people get off the waiting list and get services.

“It should be a priority of the state,” she said.

Erin Gibson, director of public policy, education and children’s issues for the The Arc of Maryland, said continuing funding was the main priority of the day, but it’s also a chance for the states legislators to meet the people the DDA supports.

“We want to have as much of a voice [as possible],” she said.

Bryan May, an client of The Arc, got to voice his work concerns and support for legislation to Shewell in her office on Wednesday.

May talked about the alcohol tax but also another piece of legislation called Rosa’s Law, a bill that would change references to mental retardation to intellectual disability in state codes and laws.

May said it is offensive when he hears that word because he is not retarded, but has another type of intellectual disability.

“I like them to call me a human being,” he said. “We are still human, we all have emotions.”

Shewell, who co-sponsored the bill, said it was an important bill.

“It’s about respect, respect for people and their needs,” she said. “Words hurt and words count.”

Carol Nebe, a job coach at The Arc of Carroll County, said was glad she tagged along, because she got to hear from the people she supports.

“It’s interesting, you find out how they clients feel,” she said.

The Bills

What: House Bill 20 — Rosa’s Law

Next step: Passed in the house waiting for a hearing to be scheduled in the senate finance committee.

What: Senate Bill 729/House Bill 791 — Alcohol Tax

Next step: Hearing set on March 19 for the House Ways and Means Committee and Health and Government Operations Committee

Source: mlis.state.md.us

Reach staff writer Erica Kritt at 410-857-7876 or erica.kritt@carrollcountytimes.com.

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