SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Hundreds of people gathered at the state Capitol Wednesday to protest the governor's plan to cut services to the disabled. Advocates said one of the most egregious funding cuts would cap enrollment at regional centers, where waiting lists would be created.

"(A) child born today with autism could not receive services. That child would be placed on a waiting list that would probably last for years," said Marty Omoto of the California Disability Community Action Network.

Following Wednesday's rally, advocates for the disabled testified at a Senate budget subcommittee. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's press secretary, Margita Thompson, said the governor knows cutbacks will not be easy, but added that he is dealing with an unprecedented fiscal crisis.

"People should be angry, but the people they should be angry at are the legislators who spent more money than the state actually had," Thompson said.

Michael and Kim Christensen's daughter, Brynne, is autistic, and the family relies heavily on state-funded programs, including physical therapy, in-home instruction and respite care.

Because the couple spends their day making sure their child doesn't hurt herself, they are panicked that state programs may be cut.

"I don't even take a shower with just her in the house because I think she's going to kill herself," said Kim Christensen.

In light of pending budget cuts, advocates for the disabled say they were extremely offended by Wednesday night's tree lighting ceremony, where the governor s held a young developmentally disabled child up to the tree to place a decoration. They claim that child's family is currently receiving services from the state that are slated to be eliminated.