Legislative Breakfast Addresses Disability Issues

Three Rivers Center for Independent Living hosted their third annual legislative breakfast at their facility in Wilkinsburg on Friday.

About a hundred people attended and asked a dozen legislators and/or their aides questions about social security, medicaid, transportation, Pennsylvania budget proposals and pending legislation were asked. Among the legislators present were Jim Ferlo and Dan Frankel.

Advocate Victoria Campbell, from the Center said people with disabilities often feel powerlessness when it comes to voting issues - if they are in a wheelchair for example, they might feel uncomfortable getting their wheelchair in a voting booth. And they might feel legislators don't care about their issues. Hosting events like this empowers those with disabilities while getting legislators to listen to issues.

She said its important for the legislators to come to see where the disability community. "We're on the hill continuously," she said. "But once a year they can come here. They can be on our turf."