It's time to focus on the budget
Governor Bruce Rauner issued his second State of the State address this week. Shortly after the address, members of the Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus gathered in the state capitol for a press conference. Their message was simple and clear—one year into this administration, Latino families are worse off. They implored the Governor to set-aside his non-budget related policy priorities and focus on the state’s most pressing need—a fully-funded operating budget. The Latino Policy Forum agrees.
February 1, Illinois will enter its eighth month without a budget. While many state operations are running on ‘auto-pilot’ through court orders, consent decrees and the authorization of funding for pre-k-12 schools, Illinoisans from every region of the state are suffering as a result of this historic budget impasse. More than 125,000 low-income college students are not receiving MAP Grants, more than 14,000 working mothers remain ineligible for the child care assistance program and thousands of families are struggling without access to a plethora of human service programs ranging from immigrant integration to shelter for homeless youth.
The Illinois nonprofit sector, which serves as a vital partner to state agencies in the administration of government programs, is wilting without access to state resources. The Forum and the Illinois Latino Family Commission surveyed a small sample of Latino-led nonprofit organizations last week to determine how they have been affected by the budget impasse so far. Of the 20 respondents, nine organizations are operating with a deficit, seven have tapped into or exhausted their cash reserves and seven have tapped into or exhausted their credit lines. Collectively, the 20 Latino-led nonprofits have lost more than 8.5 million dollars in state funding intended to support a wide variety of programs. This has resulted in layoffs, furloughs and in the case of La Voz Latina in Rockford – closure.
Governor Rauner is refusing to negotiate a budget deal supported with new revenue until the legislature passes elements of his ‘Turnaround Agenda.’ His priorities include diminishing collective bargaining, workers’ compensation reform, term limits, redistricting reform and several other items. Working mothers, low-income college students and vulnerable residents do not deserve to be held hostage while politicians spar over differing philosophies of government.
The budget impasse is adversely and disproportionately affecting children and families from all walks of life in every corner of the state. It is time for Governor Rauner and legislative leaders to set-aside non-budget related items and pass a fully-funded budget supported with new, sustainable and progressive forms of revenue.