Social Service Agencies Oppose Budget Cuts
Inside a La Casa Norte youth homelessness facility in Chicago. La Casa Norte was one of dozens of social service agencies and advocates who sent a letter to Governor Pritzker Monday asking him not to cut social service programs.
Social service agencies from around the state are asking Governor JB Pritzker not to include cuts to human services in his proposed list of state budget spending reductions.
Lauren Wright, Executive Director of Illinois Partners for Human Service, which lobbies on behalf of more than 800 providers statewide, released a letter sent to Governor Pritzker last week asking him not to cut social services..
“We are greatly concerned about the $200 million in budget reductions to health and human services announced this week,” she wrote. “We are writing to request specific information about these budget reductions as soon as possible. Our coalition still needs clarity, predictability, and partnership from your administration.”
Pritzker has blamed Republicans for opposing his graduated income tax proposal, which voters rejected in November. Pritzker is proposing the cuts to close a $4 billion hole in the state budget. The budget banked on increased revenue from the graduated tax and a bailout from the federal government.
A new federal stimulus bill does not include funding for state and local governments.
Wright says her group supports closing tax loopholes instead of cutting spending.
“We support revenue-based solutions, including, but not limited to closing loopholes that benefit the wealthy, and investing those revenues in health and human services,” she said. “We recognize there are no easy solutions in a difficult budget year but ask that the administration consider the vital role health and human services will continue to play in rebuilding our communities in the recovery from this pandemic.”
Some Republicans have accused Pritzker of proposing draconian cuts to get Democratic lawmakers on board with an income tax increase, potentially as early as January.
But Sen. Scott Bennett (D-Champaign) says he opposes an immediate tax increase and says there needs to be a combination of cuts and new revenue to balance the budget.
“Coming out of the holidays when there are high levels of unemployment and a lot of uncertainty, I think it’s premature to talk about new revenue,” he said. “We need to spend the legislative session bringing people together to suggest cuts we think are there. We should look at them and hopefully close a lot of the gap with those.”
When announcing cuts earlier this month, Pritzker promised the impact would be “painful.”