by Alexandra Sange
As the Senate continues debate on the Extenders Bill, which includes a six-month extension of the enhanced FMAP rate from ARRA, it’s helpful to understand what these extensions will mean to states and communities nationwide. The FMAP extension in particular, is an extension that two-thirds of states are counting on in their budgets for the next fiscal year. The Center on Budget Policy and Priorities (CBPP) recently released this report detailing the consequences of failing to extend the enhanced Medicaid FMAP for another six months. In this report, CBPP details, state by state, the budget gaps, anticipated cuts and job loss that states are preparing for without the FMAP extension and predicts the consequence of inaction may be a stalled national economic recovery. This is an excellent and timely resource and we encourage you to take a look!
It is improper to send this money to a State like PA where lame duck Gov. Ed Rendell cries the blues but is, in the meantime, shuffling $30,000,000.00 in State Funds plus the promise of $100,000,000.00 more to an unpoular & reprehensible effort in Philly to dismantle a National Landmark, The Barnes Foundation in Merion, PA to grease his crony campaign supporters who are using this money to move the Barnes Art Collection A MERE 5 MILES with no appreciable net benefit to business or taxpayers. Henri Matisse called The Barnes Merion campus “the sanest place in America to view art.” Rendell is using our money to rob posterity and humanity of that experience. Do not feul this disturbed Governor’s meglomanaical Whims. For more on the Barnes To Nowhere project see Barnesfriends.org