With the lump-sum budget passed by the General Assembly now in the hands of the Governor, human service providers anxiously await the details of a budget plan that they know will mean cuts. It’s exactly where and how deep that remains unclear.
From Chicago Public Radio’s Sam Hudzik:
It’s been two weeks since Governor Pat Quinn signed Illinois’ budget into law. But human services agencies still don’t know how much money they’re getting from the state.
The governor tomorrow will announce how the state will divy-up spending. Quinn has said there’ll be some drastic budget cuts to some programs. Service providers like childcare or substance abuse centers have been waiting to learn how much they’ll be reimbursed by the state. They expect less than last year. But a month into the new fiscal year, they’ve yet to see a final number.
Progress Illinois‘ Angela Caputo is also tracking the uncertainty among social service agencies:
More than three weeks into the new fiscal year, nonprofits are still playing the waiting game. The decision on their funding levels for FY 2010 rests with Gov. Pat Quinn, all thanks to a stopgap budget passed by the General Assembly last week that requires him to free up over $2 billion via cuts that will largely target the human services sector. Folks over in Quinn’s budget office tell us that they’ve been combing through such programs — line by line — ever since.
The budgeting process isn’t as easy as nipping a little here and tucking some there; it’s incredibly complicated. To make matters worse, the governor’s office is still trying to figure out the size of the hole they’re trying to fill. After revising their deficit estimate during the budgeting negotations, Quinn’s aides are treading carefully on the subject. “We don’t do ballparks,” budget office spokeswoman Elizabeth Austin told us.
Federal matching money is a major factor in the decisionmaking process. For instance, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) passed a budget this week protecting programs that fetch federal money, but at a heavy price for the state’s flagship early childhood education. An estimated 30,000 kids will lose preschool services this fall as a result.
The Quinn administration is also struggling with their options for moving money across agencies. For instance, the Ceasefire program currently falls under the corrections budget. Does it then qualify for any of the emergency human services funding? They’re trying to answer dozens of similar questions.
© 2010 Campaign For Illinois' Future |
Jerry McDaniel says:
It is easy to see why some services have to be cut. However, as a voter and taxpayer, I would like to see some of the bloat cut out of government operations first. Pay raises, benefits, hiring, graft, and bribes would be a good place to start.