Health care and child care workers rallied outside the district office of State Representative Jerry Mitchell in Rock Falls on Tuesday to protest his vote against the income tax increase needed to save the essential programs they depend on.

“Seniors like me were counting on Representative Mitchell and his colleagues to show some political courage by voting for the income tax increase we need to save the critical programs we depend on,” said 63-year-old Sharon Brown from Rock Falls. “Instead of standing up for us, they’re slashing home care, child care and putting our families in serious danger. They need to know that we’re on the brink of disaster here. Something must be done before it’s too late.”

Sauk Valley News has more:

Candace Hazelhurst severed her spinal cord in a car accident in 1973.

The 51-year-old lives in her own apartment in Rock Falls with the help of a caregiver, Elizabeth Handel, 59, of Rock Falls. To get around, Hazelhurst needs a wheelchair. It’s cheaper for Hazelhurst to live independently than to be in a nursing home.

“We’re living proof, it’s more cost effective,” Hazelhurst said.

Yet Handel fears losing her job, and Hazelhurst could find herself in a nursing home if the state goes through with proposed budget cuts in funding for human services.

Handel and Hazelhurst joined the roughly 50 demonstrators who protested Tuesday outside of state Rep. Jerry Mitchell’s office.

The Service Employees International Union, which represents workers in the health care industry, organized the protest. The union has been staging similar protests outside the offices of Illinois representatives who last month voted against an increase in the state income tax.
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Among the areas facing cuts are child care assistance and money for home health care for seniors and people with disabilities.

Christy Cochran, 38, is a child-care provider in Rock Falls.

“I survive off of this income,” Cochran said. “… And if they cut it, how could I provide for my family?

“I think they could cut back on other budgets. Our government keeps bailing out the car industry. That doesn’t help people like us. When it comes to people like us, regular citizens, hard workers, they want to cut our wages, cut our child care, cut everything.”

This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 17th, 2009 at 3:26 pm and is filed under Budget News, General, Northern Illinois. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.