At a rally on the west lawn of the Statehouse yesterday afternoon, 4,000 people from across the state lobbied the General Assembly to vote against budget cuts for education, health and human services.
The state legislature is facing about $1 billion in cuts to state services in its attempt to balance the 2004-05 budget and compensate for the $4 billion deficit.
The Emergency Campaign to Protect Ohio's Future organized the event. A coalition of about 200 organizations, the group is led by Organize! Ohio and the AARP.
Kathy Keller, communication director for the AARP in Ohio, said she protested to let the legislators know they cannot keep cutting from the education, human services and health care programs.
"We can't stand anymore cuts," Keller said. "Social services have been cut too much."
Protesters carried signs that read "Support Senior Services," "Protect Children," and "Protect Education."
"Everyone was really energized," Keller said. "The crowd kept shouting 'No more cuts, no more cuts!'"
More than a dozen citizens who have been affected by the budget cuts spoke at the rally. The protest began at 11:30 a.m. and lasted until 1 p.m. People from organizations supporting low-income housing, food banks, health care, education and welfare-to-work spoke about cuts.
Marty Zinn, a board member with the Appalachian People's Action Coalition, said it was wrenching to hear the stories about depending on state services at difficult times in the speaker's lives.
Zinn said many Ohio residents would rather see the government raise taxes than cut needed services.
Lisa Hamler-Podloski, executive director of Second Harvest, one of the groups participating in the rally, said the turnout exceeded expectations.
"It was wonderful, very energizing," Hamler-Podloski said. "A broad scope of health and human service providers came from across the state to protest. There were a lot of folks there from Athens. I didn't even see them all."
Keller said she believes the protesters got their message across to the General Assembly.
"I know that they heard us, they saw us out there. They understand that people are saying programs are being slashed too much. We were loud."
Rep. Jimmy Stewart, R-Athens, did not return phone calls seeking comment.
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Natalie Long
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Cathy Fiebig, right, holds a sign in support of senior citizen services at a rally opposing cuts in funding for human services, health care and education at the Statehouse in Columbus yesterday.
