BOISE -- If Gov. Butch Otter has his way, the Idaho Council for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (CDHH) would lose all of its funding over the next four years.
But executive director Steve Snow says without the money, it won't even last that long.
Snow says if CDHH loses its state funding, it might actually cost the state.
"There would be a higher tendency for litigation from deaf people as they were not able to the services that are necessary through the Americans with Disabilities Act,” Snow said.
He says CDHH is a resource for that population and it educates businesses and state agencies about their legal obligations to them.
By his estimate, 136,000 people in Idaho are deaf or hard of hearing.
Some of them gathered Tuesday to write letters to lawmakers to tell them CDHH has improved their quality of life.
"Because if we lose that, we lose our voice, really is what we're losing, and that's something and we're definitley not going to let that happen quietly," said Tara Adams who is deaf.
Tim Heintzman's daughter Leonie is nearly two.
"We just thought she was a quiet baby but that wasn't the case she was profoundly deaf," Heintzman said.
He says CDHH's work to pass a law that requires hearing tests for newborns helped his daughter early on.
"We were able to get all of the proper care and start making our adjustments for our family to make sure she got the care she needs," Heintzman said.
CDHH gets more than $150,000 a year from the state, which is Snow's entire budget.
He says it basically covers two full-time positions: his and his assistant.
"There's really nothing left for us to cut. Personnel is our only expense left. So first she would become part time, by the second year our entire agency would close," Snow said. "We have stretched our budget almost to the breaking point but I am very proud of the work we have done."
