Wednesday, June 24, 2009 3:33 AM
posted by whoever
Because the general assembly in Springfield didn't pass an income tax
increase from 3.5% to 5.0% in May, Illinois is gutting services for
the disabled and elderly with a budget for human services that's only
50%. Illinois has a projected budget deficit of $11 billion, and the
general assembly passed a bare-bones budget that's only good for 6
months. I think the 50% cuts comes in because the governor is
treating that 6-month budget if it's for a full year. Gov Quinn
supports an income tax hike, but the lazy ass legislature is waiting
to the very last minute of address the situation. They're supposed to
vote on the tax bill on June 30, the very day before the budget cuts
come into effect. State intuitions will be shuttered and state aid to
non-profits who deal with the disabled and elderly will be severely
cut.
http://www.sj-r.com/news/x737338566/Social-service-agencies-hope-for-big-rally-turnoug
Thousands flooded the state Capitol today to urge lawmakers not to let
painful state budget cuts to social service providers go through soon.
The midday event put on by drug dependence, health care and other
advocacy groups drew a crowd of well over 5,000 people, said Henry
Haupt, spokesman for Secretary of State Jesse White.
White's officers, who control security at the Capitol and other nearby
state buildings, had to turn away many protesters who tried to enter
for the rally. A crowd of several hundred was spotted sitting in the
shade of the north lawn of the Capitol on a sweltering June day.
Haupt said those extra ralliers were turned away simply because of
safety and crowd capacity concerns. He said officials needed to
reserve some space near doorways in case there were medical
emergencies, although he had no reports of those or any disturbances
as the rally was winding down.
"We just can't jeopardize people's health," Haupt said.
Haupt said the secretary of state's office set up water barrels with
spigots on the building's east side for those left outside to cool
off.
The huge crowd came to the Capitol as lawmakers return for a special
session today to deal with the huge budget problem. Gov. Pat Quinn,
who spoke at the rally, is urging lawmakers to support an income tax
increase, and he's open to making it temporary and lowering the
increase on businesses to win support for it.
"Every day, you can find another rally, you can find another group
that is interested in their issue. What is different is this time ...
everyone is coming together as a whole," Sara Moscato Howe, chief
executive officer of the Illinois Alcohol and Drug Dependence
Association, said Monday prior to the rally.
"When you have people willing to go to this effort, that certainly
influences how you think," Rep. Rich Brauer, R-Petersburg, said
Monday.
The new budget year starts July 1, and Gov. Pat Quinn has called
legislators back to fix a budget that contains huge shortfalls in some
areas. If those holes aren't filled via an income tax increase, Quinn
has said, he'll have no choice but to move ahead with thousands of
layoffs and billions of dollars in program reductions.
The state's estimated budget hole of more than $9 billion could mean
the layoffs of 10,000 state workers and as many as 100,000 employees
of agencies that provide services like child care, mental health and
drug addiction treatment, and programs for the developmentally
disabled. Up to 140,000 children could lose child care.
The governor, at an appearance in Springfield Monday, dodged questions
about whether he would approve a short-term spending plan to avoid
immediate cuts if lawmakers don't provide more money by next week.
"I want to make it crystal clear to legislators: We're not doing any
half-baked proposal. We're going to go and work and work and work
until we get a fair budget," Quinn said.
Before the rally at the Capitol, social service providers from the
Springfield area were to sponsor a forum where local lawmakers are
invited to discuss the cuts.
"I hope what it will do is demonstrate to (legislators) the intensity
that we all feel and help them see that they must do something," Ann
Ford, executive director of the Illinois Network of Centers for
Independent Living, one of the forum's organizers, said Monday.
According to Anders Lindall, spokesman for the American Federation of
State, County and Municipal Employees, hundreds of union members
planned to be at the rally in a continuation of weeks of lobbying.
AFSCME members have "picketed, marched and met one-on-one with dozens
of lawmakers," Lindall said. "For the last several weeks, we have
sustained an intensive e-mail and phone campaign by our members that
has generated many thousands of calls and messages to lawmakers, and
those calls and messages are continuing."
The AARP set up a hotline to connect members with their legislators.
As of Monday, more than 5,000 people had used the service, according
to David Irwin, spokesman for the group, which advocates for senior
citizens.
"If the legislators are listening to their constituents and the
individuals that are going to be affected, they are going to send this
budget back," Irwin said.
People involved with the Ounce of Prevention Fund, an early childhood
education advocacy group, have sent almost 6,000 e-mails and made
hundreds of calls to their lawmakers, spokeswoman Jelene Britten said.
Dan Schwick, spokesman for Lutheran Social Services of Illinois, said
his group has called on about 1,000 members of a grassroots network to
bombard lawmakers with calls and e-mails.
Both Sen. Larry Bomke, R-Springfield, and Sen. Dave Syverson,
R-Rockford, said they have been on the receiving end of those e-mails,
phone calls and meetings with people frightened by funding cuts.
Syverson said that in talking with his constituents he tells them the
massive cuts to human services won't happen because Quinn's doomsday
scenario is simply a scare tactic and nothing more.
Regardless, Schwick says, "everybody is holding their breath."
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