This morning providers should have received their contracts indicating that they have
been funded for Fiscal Year 2016 or their programs are on hold. It is likely that the grant
programs will be on hold until a final budget agreement is reached between the
Governor and the Legislative Leaders.
Make sure you sign the agreement and return it as soon as possible.
The budget process continues and your Senators and State Representatives need to
hear your concerns about cuts to disability services. Word in the street is that they are
not hearing from you. In certain areas of the state, yesterday in Peoria, legislators are
hosting legislative forums to hear about budget cuts. You must attend these events and
make your voices heard.
The budget process is far from over so get involved!
Story from Illinois Observer below
Tony
Madigan Schedules House Hearing on “Governor’s Shutdown”
Plans
by IO News Staff
(Chicago) – House Speaker Michael Madigan is already pinning the blame for a
potential state government shutdown on Governor Bruce Rauner.
Madigan has scheduled a hearing of all House lawmakers – a Committee of the Whole –
for next Tuesday, June 30, to take testimony from Rauner Administration officials on
how they plan to implement “the governor’s shutdown.”
“Every House member is entitled to hear how the administration will determine which
services will continue, allowing advocates to assess the impact of the governor’s
shutdown and his agencies’ shutdown decisions and determine appropriate alternatives
to his approach,” Madigan said in a statement.
The state’s spending authority, without a new budget in place, expires on June 30.
The Committee of the Whole will hear from advocates of the elderly, the developmentally
disabled, and others who will be faced with the governor’s “unnecessary disruption,”
according to Madigan.
“In May, the House passed a spending plan that included close to $300 million in cuts to
state agencies,” Madigan said. “Each day that passes without action by the governor
creates unnecessary disruption and anxiety in every region of the state,” Madigan added.
House Democrats have invited Rauner’s state agency directors to testify before the full
House on their plans should a budget agreement not be reached by July 1, including
how their agencies plan to handle casework, phone calls, and other requests for
assistance from those in need.
“Compromise is possible if everyone is reasonable and willing to work together, but we
cannot sacrifice medical care services for the elderly, disabled and struggling families,
victims of child abuse and emergency shelters that serve children and families,” said
Madigan.
The governor has repeated criticized Democrats for passing a “phony” budget on May
31, claiming that the legislature’s fiscal year 2016 spending blueprint is unbalanced by
$4 billion.
Madigan has acknowledged that Democrats’ budget is short by at least $3 billion.
The powerful House speaker has been advocating for increased taxes to fill the hole.
The governor has expressed his willing to consider new taxes totaling at least $3.5
billion, but has demanded that the Democratic-controlled General Assembly first
approve elements of his pro-business “Turnaround Agenda.”
Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton have argued that Rauner’s agenda
contains poison-pill anti-labor provisions that rank-and-file Democrats refuse to swallow.
On Wednesday, despite labeling the Democrats’ budget as “phony,” the governor did
sign one piece of that spending plan, approving the state’s K-12 education budget for
next year. The budget increases spending on schools by $244 million.
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
