I-Team: De Jope Referendum
Pugh: Casino Revenue Could Help Families With Disabled Children
Posted: 8:30 pm CST February 15, 2004
Two people are on the front lines of the Dane County casino debate. One is paid, one is not, but both have reasons for being involved. News 3 I-Team reporter Linda Eggert investigates their motives on "News 3 at Ten" Sunday and Monday. MADISON, Wis. -- Casino proponent Lisa Pugh's daughter is developmentally delayed."She will always require services of some sort throughout her life," Pugh said.
Her husband said being a parent changes things.
"You wake up one day, and you've got your one typical child and all the sudden a second daughter is born, and she's got a disability and ... it's, ah, it's a whole different world," Mike Pugh said.At age 4, Erika Pugh is more interested in playing catch with her therapists than playing poker. Still, the little girl is a key player in the casino debate. That's because she has an extremely rare genetic disorder similar to Down's syndrome, and because her biggest advocate is her mom, the mouthpiece of the pro casino coalition."I am getting paid, and I'm earning every dollar," Pugh said.
Behind Pugh's sound bites, sits a wife, mother of three, and -- since Erika was born -- a ferocious advocate for human services."Our lives have certainly changed over the last four years, since we had Erica," she said. "We're a family that never thought we'd be relying on public programs or funding of services."Now, it's those services that has Pugh pushing for a casino--and the cash that could help families like hers.Erika needs a $6,000 device to talk, state-paid therapists and -- up until last summer -- very expensive formula for a feeding tube.Special training now lets her mom give her real food."She is still pretty picky about foods, but it's foods that we can buy in the grocery store," Pugh said.The biggest worry now is getting a backyard fence because Erika tends to wander off -- and just did at Sunday school."She could have been out in the freezing cold and in the street," Pugh said. "That's something I think about all the time that frankly scares me."A county program could help the Pughs get a fence, but they are only one of hundreds of families with disabled children on a five-year waiting list. Pugh blames budget cuts. She says casino revenue could restore them -- and rescue people in need, right now.
"I certainly, as an advocate in human serivces, have met families who are struggling with bankruptcy, have met families who are struggling with divorce," she said. "I certainly think its a tragedy when people have problems with gambling, it's also a tragedy when we're not able to take care of the people in our community who need our support the most."Like her daughter, Pugh believes a casino carries huge potential.Pugh will get around $15,000 for her casino work. Her husband, a laid-off pilot for Midwest Express, works with families of disabled kids.This year Dane County Human Services cut $3.5 million county tax dollars out of its budget.More than 250,000 people are waiting for some kind of service.Coming UpMonday night on "News 3 At Ten," I-Team reporter Linda Eggert looks at the leader of the Vote No group, David Relles.
DE JOPE REFENDUM  TALKBACK  READ/RESPOND: Vote Yes EditorialREAD/RESPOND: Vote No EditorialWISC-TV Editorial: Casino Debate Grows In Complexity & Importance WISC-TV Editorial: Casino Report, Handling FlawedWISC-TV Editorial: Casino Stakes Increase VIDEO  Dejope Debate: The AgreementDeJope's Revenue Sharing Not Yet Legally Binding?Latest On DeJope Casino DebateWhat Will De Jope Referendum Say?DeJope Casino: Hurt Of Help Local Business?DeJope Casino: Will It Hurt Madison's 'Image?'DeJope Closer To Becoming Full CasinoWho Ends Up Winning Big With A Local Casino?WEB SITES READ MORE CASINO STUDIES Casino Benefits: Northstar Study: OP-ED |
"You wake up one day, and you've got your one typical child and all the sudden a second daughter is born, and she's got a disability and ... it's, ah, it's a whole different world," Mike Pugh said.At age 4, Erika Pugh is more interested in playing catch with her therapists than playing poker. Still, the little girl is a key player in the casino debate. That's because she has an extremely rare genetic disorder similar to Down's syndrome, and because her biggest advocate is her mom, the mouthpiece of the pro casino coalition."I am getting paid, and I'm earning every dollar," Pugh said. | Video |
"I certainly, as an advocate in human serivces, have met families who are struggling with bankruptcy, have met families who are struggling with divorce," she said. "I certainly think its a tragedy when people have problems with gambling, it's also a tragedy when we're not able to take care of the people in our community who need our support the most."Like her daughter, Pugh believes a casino carries huge potential.Pugh will get around $15,000 for her casino work. Her husband, a laid-off pilot for Midwest Express, works with families of disabled kids.This year Dane County Human Services cut $3.5 million county tax dollars out of its budget.More than 250,000 people are waiting for some kind of service.Coming UpMonday night on "News 3 At Ten," I-Team reporter Linda Eggert looks at the leader of the Vote No group, David Relles. Copyright 2005 by Channel 3000. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
