National Association of Social Workers, IL Chapter BREAK OUT: BUDGET ISSUES April 14, 2015 Emily Miller Director, Policy and Advocacy Voices for Illinois Children [email protected] @ejmill Governor’s Reckless Budget Proposal Cuts $6 billion to universities, health care, local governments, pensions*, and critical services relied on by Illinois children, families, and communities * $2.2 billion in proposed pension cuts are almost certainly unrealizable in FY 2016. Without revenue, this amount will have to be cut from other parts of the budget. 2 Governor Rauner’s 2016 budget includes: $1.5 billion cut to Medicaid $462,000 cut for child vaccines $148 million cut to child protection $135 million cut to child care $200 million cut to public transit $600 million cut to local gov’ts $387 million cut to public universities $165 million to heating assistance $82 million cut to mental health treatment $28 million cut to substance abuse treatment $62 million cuts to services for people with developmental disabilities $110 million cut in in-home nursing services for people with disabilities $9.8 million for breast and cervical cancer screenings $6 million cut to HIV/AIDS prevention, pharmaceuticals, other services Elimination of community-based grants for autism, epilepsy, respite care and sudden infant death syndrome. $23 million cut to services for developmentally disabled infants and toddlers How We Got Here Income Tax Cut + Refusal to Propose New Revenue 25% Income Tax Cut Took Effect Jan. 1, 2015 $5-6 Billion Lost Revenue in Fiscal Year 2016 (begins July 1) No New Revenue + All Cuts Budget = Deep Cuts 4 Not Just Numbers On A Spreadsheet Elimination of community-based grants for autism, epilepsy, respite care for family members caring for a loved one 155,000 poor families lose heating assistance Increased university tuition 14,000 youth lose access to after school opportunities Over 12,000 fewer women Cut off infants and receive cancer screenings toddlers with “moderate” development delays from services to help them catch up Children aged 6-12 can no longer enroll in child care assistance 2,400 young adults transitioning from foster care to independence lose services Increased public transit fares and service cuts Deny in-home nursing services to seniors and those with severe disabilities Restrict mental health and substance abuse treatment increase other costs later Medicaid patients cannot receive dental / podiatry care 1,300 homeless youth lose supports 5 Illinois families & communities have already been cut since 2009. Program Child Protection Cuts 2009-2015 Impact already felt Governor’s additional cuts $193 million (22%) Higher caseloads, violations of federal law Another 20% budget cut Another $1 million cut Homeless Prevention Child Care Assistance Teen REACH (afterschool) Mental Health Treatment 60% cut Increased parent copayments and reduced eligibility More than 50% cut $113 million cut 8,600 fewer families receive help 11,000 fewer children get assistance nearly 1,000 more families go without homeless prevention 6 year olds stay home alone, parents can’t afford to work 100,000 kids lose access 13,500 fewer youth participate Completely Eliminated 14,000 more youth lack opportunities, increased youth violence More illness means increased hospitalization and institutionalization $131 million increased costs Additional $82 million cut Does Illinois Have A Spending Problem? Spending on Illinois Services* Has Decreased 24 Percent Since FY 2000, Adjusted for Inflation and Population Growth *Excludes Group Health. Source: Center for Tax and Budget Accountability 7 Illinois Has Below-Average Revenue After 2011 Income Tax Increase, Illinois Was Still Below U.S. Average 8 Illinois Has Lowest Income Tax in Midwest 9 What Businesses Really Want What are top 2 factors for CEOs when deciding where to locate? 1. Educated workforce How do you build a strong, educated workforce? 1. Invest in education 2. High-quality infrastructure 2. Reduce barriers associated with poverty 3. Attract educated persons from elsewhere with strong public schools, safe and vibrant communities Who said the following? “Any company that makes a decision about where they are going based on the tax rate is a company that won’t be around very long. If you’re down to that incremental margin you don’t have a business. Michael Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg and former Mayor of NYC 10 What does a good budget look like? Good government invests in children, families, schools, businesses and communities so that local economies thrive. Competitive Public K-12 Education Local Police and Fire Protection Parks and Recreation Safe Roads and Bridges Community grants for autism, epilepsy and respite care Human Services Afterschool Programs Nutrition Support Cancer Screening and Treatment Public Transportation Quality, Affordable College Homeless Prevention Affordable, Accessible Health Care Early Intervention Child Care Immigrant & Refugee Services Dental and Mental Health Services Violence Prevention Preschool for All Family-friendly Workplaces Good Jobs Community Care Job Training What You Can Do Join Responsible Budget Coalition: Adequate revenue to support state priorities and make smart investments No more cuts to vital programs and services Fairness in raising revenue and making cuts if failure to raise adequate revenue Contact Lawmakers: Call the district offices of your state senator and representative Provide examples of how real people are impacted by cuts to vital services Encourage other influencers to do the same (e.g., Board of Directors) When advocating for your budget area, also advocate for more revenue. Without revenue, all budget areas are at risk – and it will be impossible to strengthen our families and communities to build a stronger Illinois. 12 Social Media Facebook/ResponsibleBudgetCoalition @respbudgetil #nocuts #twill 13
© Copyright 2024