Local AARP members, including Karin and Ed Mikulich of Albert Lea, traveled to St. Paul in April to visit personally with lawmakers about the need to protect Minnesota’s most vulnerable during the budget discussions. 

“Lawmakers need to hear from their constituents about how potential budget cuts could affect real Minnesotans,” said AARP State Director Michele H. Kimball. “Cutting services that help keep older Minnesotans healthy and independent will only cost us all more money in the long run.”

 AARP is urging lawmakers to protect vulnerable Minnesotans from severe budget cuts and to uphold Minnesota’s long-standing tradition of caring for our elders.

 “Older Minnesotans have been among the hardest hit by the economic crisis, and we need to ensure that we maintain important health and long-term care safety nets at this crucial time,” said Kimball. 

In particular, AARP urges lawmakers to fully-fund home and community based services so that we can ensure quality care and adequate care staff for our elders. 

“We must find a balanced approach to the budget dilemma. Health and Human Services should not take a disproportionate share of cuts. Increasing revenues should be on the table for discussion,” said Kimball.

For more information about AARP’s work at the State Legislature, visit www.aarp.org/mn
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 AARP has 700,000 members in Minnesota. AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization dedicated to making life better for people 50 and over. They provide information and resources; engage in legislative, regulatory and legal advocacy; assist members in serving their communities; and offer a wide range of unique benefits, special products and services for our members. These include AARP The Magazine, published bimonthly; AARP Bulletin, a monthly newspaper; Segunda Juventud, a quarterly newspaper in Spanish; Live and Learn, a quarterly newsletter for National Retired Teachers Association members; and a Web site, www.aarp.org. They have staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.