A state lawmaker is pushing for an 8.6 percent sales-tax boost to wipe out a 15-year, 8,027-person waiting list for services for people with developmental disabilities.
Increasing the state sales tax from 2.9 percent to 3.15 percent would generate roughly $230 million more each year for independent living, child care, medical supplies and transportation for disabled people and their families.
“There are people that are waiting 10 to 15 years to get services,” said Rep. Michael Garcia, an Aurora Democrat who presented his sales-tax proposal to a legislative committee Wednesday. “We’re going to have to have the moral courage to bring more money into the system.”
Among those waiting for state help is Irene Lucas, whose 28-year-old autistic son could move out of his parents’ home and live on his own with 24-hour supervision.
Lucas is almost 60, and her husband is 70 and a cancer survivor. Their son has been on the waiting list for three years.
“There is every possibility that we will not outlive the waiting list,” she said. “There is no bloody hell exceeding the one of being on a waiting list with no end in sight.”
Raising the sales tax by 0.25 percentage points would mean an extra 2 1/2 cents for every $10 purchase.
Garcia said he would revise his proposal to 0.2 percentage points or lower if state economists find that would be enough to eliminate the waiting list.
The legislature would have to approve Garcia’s proposal to get it on the November 2008 ballot for public vote.
The state and federal governments split the cost of four disability programs, which this year will cost $334 million.
Clearing the waiting lists for the four programs would cost about $72 million annually, plus several million dollars more each year to keep up and avoid future waiting lists, according to a legislative estimate.
The committee has been inundated this summer with testimony from people with developmental disabilities and their families. Many said they are fed up with years of inaction and are ready to fight for a ballot measure.
“Nothing significant has been done to address the fact that there are thousands of people on the waiting list,” said Marijo Rymer, executive director of the advocacy group Arc of Colorado. “We will stand up for those who cannot speak for themselves.”
Lawmakers warned that the sales-tax increase would face a tough battle, particularly because several competing tax proposals are expected to show up on the 2008 ballot.
Sen. Moe Keller, D-Wheat Ridge, suggested tacking a tax increase for the developmentally disabled onto a major health care reform package expected in 2008.
Staff writer Jennifer Brown can be reached at 303-954-1593 or jenbrown@denverpost.com.
