Arc and General Assembly Members Protest Cuts

Headed to Chicago today and I have my umbrella. Rally starts at noon at the Thompson
Center. Yesterday there was another rally about the grant suspensions which many
legislators attended. See story below. Excellent letter in today’s Chicago Tribune from
UCP as well.

Tony

By John Gregory/Illinois Radio Network

CHICAGO – Members of the General Assembly took part in a rally Wednesday against
the $26 million in immediate budget cuts ordered by the governor.

Hundreds turned out at the Thompson Center in Chicago to protest the governor’s cuts,
which included funding for programs ranging from autism awareness to mental health
services.

State Rep. Lou Lang (D-Skokie) says legislators were told funding would be preserved
for those programs, and says the governor tried to hide the cuts by terminating funding
on Good Friday.

“So nobody got those notices until they showed up at their offices on Monday morning,”
Lang said. “Why would a honest broker, why would a honest governor do that?

Lang encouraged protesters to talk to their elected officials about these cuts, warning
that if they don’t, funding for these programs may not be restored in next year’s budget.

Who will Gov. Bruce Rauner go after next?

Now that the governor has slashed money from programs for autism and other
developmental disabilities, whom is he going after next, seniors? Probably not, because
they vote in droves.

Children and adults with disabilities will now have to depend upon the Democratic
leadership to save their programs. We hope the governor will do the right thing and not
try to block these efforts.

— Don Moss, executive director, United Cerebral Palsy of Illinois, Chicago
.

Tony Paulauski
Executive Director
The Arc of Illinois
20901 S. LaGrange Rd. Suite 209
Frankfort, IL 60423
815-464-1832 (OFFICE)
815-464-1832 (CELL)
Tony@thearcofil.org