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Florida governor attends Special Olympics after cutting aid for disabled

By Eric W. Dolan
Thursday, March 31st, 2011 -- 6:49 pm

After announcing plans to use "emergency powers" to make deep cuts to the state's Agency for Persons with Disabilities, Florida Governor Rick Scott participated the Special Olympics Torch Run Ceremony on Thursday.

The ironic scheduling was first noted by Peter Schorsch of Saint Petersblog.

The Miami Herald reported that Scott is planning to impose a 15 percent cut to the rates charged by group homes and case workers who help the developmentally disabled.

The Agency for Persons with Disabilities provides services to nearly 30,000 Floridians with cerebral palsy, autism and Down Syndrome. The governor said the cuts were necessary to address a $170 million deficit in the agency.

A spokesman for Scott said that although the cuts would be painful, the governor was "trying to alleviate the pain long term."

Scott ran with hundreds of law-enforcement officers and Special Olympics athletes in Tallahassee on Thursday during the Special Olympics Torch Run Ceremony.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/03/31/florida-governor-attends-special-olympics-after-deep-cuts-for-disabled/