Last night I participated in a candidate forum sponsored by the CHI Centers and Arc of Montgomery County at the Lone Oak Center in Rockville.

This was an important forum for me, as I have been an advocate for the disabled over the last decade in the county. The primary focus was on developmental disabilities, and the lack of funding for service providers. State and local governments are both to blame, and there is a massive waiting list for DDA services.

The first thing I pointed out was my pledge to have one member of my staff - if elected - who will focus just on disability issues. With 1 in 10 residents of the county having a disability, you can understand the need and benefit of having such a staff member in my office.

I had to stay on message about my Fiscal Plan (read it at www.RobertDyer.net), upon which every thing we want to fund in any budget will depend. If the new council fails to pass such a plan, we will continue slouching forward as we are now, with less money for schools and the most vulnerable each passing year.

I hope to have some video from the forum uploaded for you soon.

We know that the current At-Large members of the council have failed the disabled. They've cut taxi coupons for the disabled by 50%. They've reduced Ride On service. They don't clear sidewalks after snowstorms. They even froze their contract for public garage cleaning with the Arc of Montgomery County! Remember, Ike Leggett and the council said that developmentally disabled workers had to lose their hard-to-come-by jobs in order to keep golden government employees on the county payroll!

It's outrageous.

It's time for a change on November 2nd, and a new council that actually advocates for the disabled. Make sure to get out and vote. Protect the most vulnerable by voting out these most politically-vulnerable failed councilmembers.