MAIL BAG LETTERS FROM READERS

Raising national debt an irresponsible plan

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There should not even be a debate about raising the national debt ceiling when our government is trillions of dollars in the hole.

The U.S. House of Representatives voted 271-158 on a stopgap measure that would cut a meager $6 billion over the next three weeks by eliminating programs already identified by President Obama for termination and other reductions, including specially earmarked congressional projects.

This does not include tax increases for people making more than $250,000 annually, which would have been supported by Obama. I guess looking out for the poor and middle class was never the intention of Congress.

I think Congress should look at itself before making decisions about raising the national debt for American citizens. That would be like approving a $10,000 credit card for a 2-year-old to buy toys for his birthday.

Oh, yeah. That was already done for Wall Street!

Protect program funding that helps at-risk citizens

The Pennsylvania community-based providers who help our citizens with mental health, intellectual disabilities or addiction were relieved to hear Gov. Tom Corbett vow to protect the most vulnerable in our society during his proposed 2011-12 state budget address.

Every day, the more than 200 members of the Pennsylvania Community Providers Association treat individuals and families who need a strong safety net to support them toward independence and self-sufficiency. The association’s member agencies serve more than 1 million Pennsylvanians yearly, many of whom are enrolled in state programs funded by the Department of Public Welfare.

Over the past several years, the state budget has either cut or flat-lined funding for services designed to assist Pennsylvanians who cope with mental and behavioral challenges. While other state programs received funding increases, many of our agencies struggled to remain open and some did not succeed.

In his proposed budget, Gov. Corbett did not fund a newly created Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs. We understand and support his position that it is better to use limited funding on treatment rather than administration.

We understand that fiscal discipline requires a shared sacrifice. However, lawmakers need to understand that our most vulnerable citizens coping with intellectual disabilities, mental health issues and addiction have shouldered much of that sacrifice in the past several years.

Now is the time to draft a spending plan for our state that is responsible and protects those who need our services the most.