Clergy, community leaders, disability rights activists call on Illinois legislators to protect vital public services from budget cuts

April 8, 2009

Chicago – Community, advocacy and labor groups representing more than 100,000 Chicago-area working families gathered outside Simeon Career Academy before today’s capital budget hearing to call on Illinois lawmakers to couple a capital plan with a fair and balanced budget that protects education, healthcare and vital public services Illinois families count on.

“All across America we see the devastating effects of practicing materialism and selfishness instead of sustaining communities and addressing people’s needs,” said Rev. Booker Vance from Southsiders Organized for Unity and Liberation (SOUL). “More than ever, our state government needs to take a fair and humane approach to taxes and our budget.”

The state’s $12.4 billion budget deficit and unprecedented payment delays have already left many families struggling to get the quality healthcare, education and vital public services they count on in tough economic times. Deep budget cuts would put services for these families in greater jeopardy.

The Campaign for Illinois’ Future calls on lawmakers to protect vital services by enacting fair tax reform that generates enough new revenue to close the state’s deficit while making tax fairness for low- and moderate-income Illinois residents—who already pay up to 12% of their income in income, sales and property taxes combined—a priority.

Frieda Becoat receives home care services through the Illinois Department of Human Services. The proposed FY10 budget does not adequately fund home care services, putting home care in jeopardy. “My personal assistants help me with housework I am unable to do, prepare meals for me and accompany me to doctor appointments—often becoming my eyes and ears when it comes time to do my medical care in the home,” said Becoat, member of Access Living. “Budget cuts to home care will mean across-the-board service cuts and waiting lists for thousands of home care consumers like me. We can’t let that happen.”

“We need to invest in human capital and the best way is through our children’s education,” said Denise Dixon, executive director of Action Now. “We need to make sure that we have quality teachers who are trained and mentored so that they understand the environment that they teach in—essentially the same way that we recruit and train members of the community for the Grow Your Own Teachers program.”

The Campaign for Illinois’ Future unites more than 20 organizations across the state to educate Illinois legislators and families about the need for a fair and lasting solution to the state deficit that protects needed public services. More than 1,000 people directly impacted by cuts to vital state programs will rally and lobby their elected officials on April 22nd in Springfield.

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The Campaign for Illinois’ Future is a growing coalition of organizations united to protect vital services for Illinois’ working families. The coalition calls on our elected officials to pass a fair budget that fixes Illinois’ structural budget deficit while protecting critical programs working families depend on from deep cuts and prioritizing tax fairness.