STATE BUDGET: SENIORS BEFORE DRUG ADDICTS

I was one of the protesters at Oak Harbor City Hall along with a number of
the people that I work with at Whidbey Island Manor, as well as numerous
people that were also from Careage of Whidbey.

Just to let you in on what we were protesting, Mr. Brown (Letters, March
6). We weren't there to help "our" interests. It's a fact, none of us want
to lose our jobs, but, we were there for you, your parents, and your
grandparents. For anybody that you know that might need long-term care in a
skilled nursing facility, and doesn't have the insurance to pay for it. We
were there protesting the fact that our dear governor wants to cut millions
of dollars of funding to nursing homes and residents of those homes that
need it the most, those that are being funded with state monies.

These aren't drug addicts, these are people who fought to protect your
rights in several wars. These are people who have paid taxes for the past
75 years to help this country stay alive. These are people who need us now,
in a time they are most vulnerable, and the state wants to stop paying for
their care. This is what we were protesting.

I'm a licensed nurse; I can find a job pretty much anywhere with the
nursing shortage, but I choose to work usually more than 40 hours a week
giving my time, attention and love to those that need it.

I didn't vote for Tim Eyman's initiatives, but I'm darn glad I'm paying $60
for car tabs rather than the $500 a year I was paying. And I'm sick of
everybody in this county, city and state blaming all the losses to the car
tab issue. We need people that know how to budget money, and obviously this
state/county/city hasn't met that criteria yet.

I'm sick of this school district complaining they don't have enough money
when 50 percent of the taxes on my house go to the school district. I'm
sick and tired of the city complaining they don't have enough money, and
want to capitalize on the Navy rather than look for other ways to bring in
revenue or tourists.

How many new homes have been built in this county in the past 4.5 years
that I've lived here? Where are all those new taxes going too? Sounds fishy
to me.

Yes Mr. Brown, we were protesting cuts to the seniors in this state because
we care. Come into our facility and volunteer some time. Many of our
residents have no family to visit them, many have no money although they
worked for 50-70 years of their lives, they need the funding that the
governor was so quick to think about cutting.

Here's a solution for our governor, before handing out food stamps and
welfare checks, as well as the money for day care and education programs
for welfare recipients, let's make them all take drug tests, and if they
pass, then the state can put the money out for them. Think of the billions
of dollars saved if we weren't paying for all the drug habits in this
state. We'd be violating their civil rights? Too bad. Whose rights are we
violating by taking away medicine that's desperately needed for a senior
citizen because our facility can't afford to pay for it and the state
refuses too? I'd much rather my tax dollars go to feed a 100-year-old
resident than a 20-year-old unemployed drug addict who doesn't know what
birth control is. Now you know the scoop Mr. Brown, now let's work at
keeping the money available for those that truly need it. Let's all support
our long-term care facilities when they need it most, and let your elected
officials know that you won't stand for cuts to our seniors.

Kristin Kirkwood, LPN Oak Harbor