Rallies, Vigils Point to Effects of Budget Cuts on Social Services

The initial rally was held June 18 at the Thompson Center in Chicago, followed up by a rally in Springfield on June 23 that drew an estimated 5,000-plus people to the Capitol — closing it down at one point.

The latest rally was held in Rockford on June 24. Many local LSSI staff participated, and Pr. Denver Bitner, LSSI president, spoke at the event. The “Rally in Rockford” gathered under the banner of “Don’t Throw Human Services Under the Bus” and featured a charter bus donated by Rockford Charter with pictures of all of the area legislators plastered on its sides. In addition to local service providers such as LSSI speaking about the devastating effects of the proposed cuts to human service, Pr. Bitner notes, “It was overwhelming to hear the stories of people who are directly affected by the cuts. Seniors, disabled people, foster care parents and people in addiction and mental health services all spoke of the impact of the loss of service on their lives.”

Seniors, disabled people, foster care parents and people in addiction and mental health services all spoke of the impact of the loss of service on their lives. A spirited crowd of more than 800 shouted loudly “Just fix it!” over and over again as each speaker came to the microphone.

“We need to impress upon our legislators how important the continued support of human services is to the health and safety of the citizens of Illinois,” says Bitner. “The disruption of services is not only an economic hardship on the service providers, but it is also a costly short-term decision that will have long-term consequences for state economic policy. We will face increased homelessness, hospitalization and incarceration as a result of the projected cuts, and if untreated, many of those we serve will not be able to contribute to the economic growth of our communities and will instead become a burden for years to come.”

On June 30, another rally is planned at the Thompson Center in Chicago from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. In addition, vigils are planned throughout the state to mark the end of the state’s fiscal year. Those who wish to participate in one of this solemn and prayerful gatherings with fellow advocates and concerned citizens should wear black clothing and bring a flashlight (instead of candles) and a photo to hold of someone you know who will be affected by this terrible budget.

LSSI's Position Statement

Lutheran Social Services of Illinois has begun receiving a series of preliminary contract termination notices from the state agencies which contract with LSSI to provide human care services. The focus of the notices is to delineate the impact on LSSI if the budget passed by the Illinois General Assembly on May 31st is implemented on July 1.

Based on these notices, it is clear that services to children, disabled persons, poor families, seniors and other vulnerable populations would be drastically cut. Programs would be eliminated or reduced to the point that they could no longer provide services safely and in compliance with the law. While specific program-by-program impacts on LSSI’s services have not yet been calculated, it is clear that the impact on the people we serve and the jobs of many of our talented and dedicated staff are in jeopardy.

What is our response?

Since 2002, Lutheran Social Services of Illinois (LSSI) has called for fundamental tax and budget reform in Illinois that would:

  1. Raise sufficient revenue on a sustainable basis to fund all vital state services, including human care (nutrition, housing, health care, social service and education). Specifically, LSSI has been a long-time supporter of Senate Bill 750, currently embodies in House Bill 174 which was passed by the Illinois State Senate on May 30 and awaits action in the Illinois House of Representatives.
  2. Provide tax relief for low and moderate income households to protect them from any necessary tax increase. Such protections are included in HB 174.
  3. Reduce the dependence of local school districts on the local property tax to fund public education, thereby addressing the extreme discrepancy in education funding between property-rich and property-poor school districts.

Lutheran Social Services of Illinois urges Governor Quinn and legislative leaders to negotiate a new state budget for State Fiscal Year 2010 that includes:

  1. Tax reform along the lines of HB 174 to provide adequate funding for state services through a combination of an increase in the personal income tax rate and an expansion of the state sales tax to include some services.
  2. Funding of all human care contracts and grants at a level not less than the FY 2009 level.