Chicago Area

State budget cuts are beginning to take their toll on Illinois families. Across the state, people like Alice Palach-Spera–who has a 12-year-old son with downs syndrome–are starting to speak out at town hall meetings with their legislators about the impact cuts are having on them and the need for real leadership to protect some of the state’s most vulnerable from deep cuts.

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Dozens of home care workers, child care providers and community advocates rallied outside a downtown Chicago fundraiser held by State Representative Jack Franks Friday to make it clear that a vote against an income tax increase is a vote against the safety and wellbeing of Illinois seniors, children and working families.

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During Thursday’s lunch hour, Chicago’s Thompson Center Plaza and the surrounding streets were filled with thousands of seniors, children, health care and child care workers, students, disability advocates and more - all upset over budget cuts that threaten vital human services.

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Health care and child care workers joined community advocates in rallies outside the district offices of State Representatives Jim Brosnahan, Kevin McCarthy and Mike Zalewski Thursday at the first of many statewide protests aimed at members of the Illinois House of Representatives who voted against an increase in the state’s income tax.

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Nearly 100 seniors from the Jane Addams Senior Caucus rallied to protest proposed cuts to the state’s Community Care Program today - a program that allows 51,000 seniors to receive needed care while staying in their homes. From the Chi-Town Daily News’ Alex Parker:

With Gov. Pat Quinn threatening to cut millions from agencies and services across Illinois, area seniors are worried that at-home care will be slashed beyond repair.

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Facing serious threats to the home care they depend on, a group of Chicago-area seniors from the Jane Addams Senior Caucus joined other seniors, people with disabilities, health care workers, child care providers and community advocates from the Campaign for Illinois’ Future in Springfield yesterday to lobby their legislators for a fair budget.

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Chicago-area community members representing seniors, health care workers, child care providers and more met at Bright Star Church of God In Christ Church in Bronzeville Tuesday to discuss the impact of the state’s growing state budget crisis and its affect on working families with State Representative Will Burns.

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