KGMI News
by Tracy Ellis
LYNDEN, WASH – A Lynden state legislator wants to assist the agencies that help developmentally disabled adults.
Cascade Connections in Whatcom County and similar agencies throughout Washington want more state money.
Republican Representative Vincent Buys says he’s trying to get them additional dollars.
“Yes people have a passion for serving the DD community and particularly groups like Cascade Connections, but you have to be able to afford to do it and that’s one of the things we haven’t provided a very good reimbursement for over the years” Buys says.
Buys says a new law makes it even more difficult.
“When we have the increase in minimum wage that makes it even more and more difficult for these service providers to be able to pay the actual people that provide the day to day hands on services,” explains Buys.
The agency says minimum wage has risen more than 36 percent over the past 9 years, while funding has gone up by just over 5 percent.
