From the Mind of Trevor Stone

My uncertainty isn't about the need for expanded services for developmentally disabled individuals. My concern is if this is the best way to do it. As other comments have noted, sales tax is harsh. (At least it doesn't apply to food, energy, medicine, and gas.)

Could you outline the services this measure covers? The blue book says "The state administers the overall system; twenty local nonprofit agencies throughout the state determine a person's eligibility and arrange and provide services. Services are generally provided in the community or in the family home, and vary based upon the person's specific disability and needs." Is the state program the only funding source for those nonprofits, or do they seek outside funding? How is the program currently funded? Are there organizations which provide similar services which are not part of the state program? Are the waiting lines the reason your son was not on Medicare, or is that totally separate?

I don't think 51 and 48 are strongly connected. One can oppose 48 because it's a legal nightmare and oppose 51 because they're opposed to sales tax; in neither case do they take a position on fetal rights or the value of care for the disabled. When voting, I think it's important to distinguish supporting an issue and supporting a particular law. Similarly, I think it's important to distinguish between supporting a party or point of view and supporting a candidate for office.

The rate and severity of autism spectrum disorders is increasing rapidly, now affecting more than 1% of boys. As presented, that statistic isn't particularly helpful in this matter. High functional autism kids don't strike me as needing much in the way of state services, just education on how to adapt. Do you have a link to more detailed statistics? I think the best way to summarize that information would be a severity vs. frequency graph.