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Posted by Barton Lorimor
Columnist Sue Ontiveros writes about a lobbying effort put together by the Latino Policy Forum meant to press legislators to vote against human services cuts…
It’s no wonder people in Latino communities are worried, and it’s why that group got on an early morning bus last week and took their concerns to legislators.
For a lot of them, it was their first time in Springfield and their first encounter with state legislators. Good for them.
Without quality child care, working parents have two awful options: leave their most precious possessions, their children, in substandard care or stop working. If they choose the latter, their families are impoverished, and at some point it’s a good bet that they’ll need to lean on their state government for some sort of assistance.
Choosing the latter could also mean an increase in deadbeat parents paying for child support, which has become quite the problem as this Sun-Times research project shows us…
Unemployment and underemployment is a key factor in the high level of back support owed, said [Executive director of the Chicago Appleseed Fund for Justice Malcom] Rich. Indeed, the Illinois Healthcare and Family Services Department’s Child Support Services Division said among its clients, 57 percent of non-custodial parents have no reported income, and 28 percent have reported income of less than $30,000 annually.
A study released in 2007 from the Urban Institute looking at back support owed in Illinois and eight other states found that 70 percent of the back support owed in 2003-04 was owed by parents who had no reported income or income of $10,000 a year or less. The report estimated that only 40 percent of the arrears owed at that time was likely to be collected over 10 years, and the backlog was projected to grow by 60 percent over that time.
“We have an expression in child support, you can’t squeeze blood from a turnip,” said Ron Haskins, co-director of the Center on Children and Families at Brookings Institution. “Many of these fathers do not have jobs.” […]
The number of Illinois parents requesting court reviews to lower the child support they pay has nearly tripled in recent years — from 4,219 in 2006 to 12,629 last year. Even so, many parents don’t contact child support services or seek legal action to have the amount reduced, he said. […]
The median amount owed in back support in Illinois, according to the Urban Institute study, was $4,467 in 2003-04. The average was $11,365. Mirroring a national trend, most of the arrearages were owed by a minority of parents who owe sizable sums. In Illinois, 10 percent of those owing back support were $30,000 or more in arrears, yet they owed nearly half of all the overdue support. […]
The state also has focused on increasing the percentage of support collected as it’s due, said Lowry. A decade ago, Illinois was on the verge of being sanctioned when it was collecting only 36 percent of current support.
There has been improvement, with the collection rate reaching 58.03 percent in 2009, but it slipped to 57.85 percent last year. Lowry said the state would like to exceed the national average of 61.9 percent.
That is of course if communities, mainly suburbs, are prepared to handle the shift in population that relies on government assistance in the first place…
There’s no denying the national trend: More minorities are moving out to the suburbs of big cities and more immigrants are settling there as well, bypassing the city altogether.
But the suburbs weren’t prepared for the infusion, and many are having a hard time dealing with an increased demand for social services. […]
As people reach out for help, they’re finding that nonprofit service organizations are stretched to the limit and can’t provide the assistance they once could. The agencies have to get by with less state money.
Related…
* Sun-Times: Why are so many Chicagoans leaving town? It’s not so bad
* Page: New benchmarks of social change
* Documents Reveal Pressure to Comply With Program to Deport Immigrants
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Mar 28, 11 @ 7:09 am
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Does the Latino Policy Forum have a list of cuts which should be made in lieu of the cuts they are protesting? Be specific, now. And remember, can’t cut any budget items that might negatively affect public employee unions-Gov. Pat has already determined that currently unionized state employees are exempt from layoffs, pay cuts, benefit cuts. And he can only go after seniors so many times (they vote in high proportion to their numbers). He’s already cut free senior rides and plans to make about $100 million worth of Medicaid cuts for seniors in next fy’s budget. He can’t raise taxes again although he’d love to. Even Caterpillar, an iconic Illinois company is complaining.
So, where to cut. Be specific, now.
Comment by cassandra Monday, Mar 28, 11 @ 7:32 am
Cassy, how much do you think Caterpillar pays in state income tax? They’re an exporter. They pay nothing on goods they sell out of Illinois. It’s been documented that there are years they’ve paid nothing.
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Mar 28, 11 @ 8:53 am
I thought that companies headquartered in Illinois enjoyed fewer tax loopholes than they used to, but maybe not. Caterpillar’s opinion on the business climate probably carries more weight than, say, a couple of pet stores moving to Wisconsin, though.
In any case, if Gov Pat continues with his planned cuts (always a huge if with this governor)
those like the Latino Forum who are asking for large sums to be restored should be required to
stipulate who and what get cut instead. They may find that after the unions and the pension systems get their share, there are few alternatives. Unless you consider even higher income taxes or even more borrowed billions (over the 9 bil Gov Pat already wants to borrow) viable alternatives.
Comment by cassandra Monday, Mar 28, 11 @ 10:31 am
sTL
Yeah except I don’t need welfare to care for my children. I pay the taxes that allow others to enjoy welfare.
Comment by Fed up Monday, Mar 28, 11 @ 10:39 am
Easy everyone. We’re getting borderline offensive here. *reaches for the hammer* Remember to breathe…
Comment by Barton Lorimor Monday, Mar 28, 11 @ 10:51 am
- Yeah except I don’t need welfare to care for my children. -
Did you even read the article? It’s about working families who utilize state subsidized childcare facilities. These aren’t people cashing welfare checks to pay babysitters so they can hit the town. They’re working to try to provide a better life for their families and they’re paying taxes as well. Try taking a breath and collecting your thoughts once in a while.
Comment by Small Town Liberal Monday, Mar 28, 11 @ 10:55 am
wordslinger,
I couldn’t find how much Cat paid in state taxes, and I didn’t feel like pouring through its SEC filings.
BUT.
There are 22k Cat employees in Illinois, about a third of its total workforce. Imagine the hit to Illinois if Cat went about pulling the plug in the state, both in economic displacement for the families, increased UI/Medicaid for the State, and lost income tax revenues. Let’s not even consider the economic effects at the local level.
Comment by Cincinnatus Monday, Mar 28, 11 @ 10:59 am
OK! Remind our grandparents to drive better!
Comment by Barton Lorimor Monday, Mar 28, 11 @ 11:03 am
–There are 22k Cat employees in Illinois, about a third of its total workforce. Imagine the hit to Illinois if Cat went about pulling the plug in the state, both in economic displacement for the families, increased UI/Medicaid for the State, and lost income tax revenues. Let’s not even consider the economic effects at the local level.–
Yeah, I get it. But if they do it, it won’t be because of state corporate income taxes. Those are for the little people.
They just want the handout, and they’ll get it.
http://mywebtimes.com/archives/ottawa/display.php?id=292788
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Mar 28, 11 @ 11:04 am
wordslinger,
I am all for closing tax loopholes, as long as the resolution doing so enacts other meaningful tax reforms that makes the US (and Illinois) competitive. This would require not only looking at taxes, but also workers compensation and environmental regulations that make doing business here in the US expensive.
I think this is as unlikely as Cat tractors flying, which would be another way to even the playing field…
Comment by Cincinnatus Monday, Mar 28, 11 @ 11:44 am
Everybody seems to have their reason and excuse for being “in need” of the money that somebody else expended part of their life earning. Nobody is “deserving” of somebody else’s money. Nobody is being “punished” because they cannot get “enough” of somebody else’s money. I am responsible, hard working, I save even if I have to go without things I want, I plan for future emergencies and I want to be able to spend my hard earned money on my family. I am sick and tired of paying for the welfare crowd, no matter what their excuse is. Including having more kids than they can afford. All of the government’s giveaway programs were started with good intent and I supported them. However, they have all grown into monsters sucking the life out of the country. Since the “means tested” programs started, including food stamps, Medicaid and subsidized housing, they have cost the country 16 TRILLION dollars and we are worse off than we were and are now 13 trillion in debt. People have to start being responsible for themselves. If the tide is about to turn in favor of the taxpayer - GOOD!
Comment by Taxedmore Monday, Mar 28, 11 @ 12:31 pm
Small town liberal
These hard working people are doing jobs that should be done by teenagers, just recently mayor Daley wS whining about their not being enough jobs for teens. Well these jobs taken by low skill immigrants of in country illegally are not ment to provide income to raise a family. So now the taxpayer is looked to to provide child care. Don’t even start with the no one wants these jobs that’s b.s. Alot of these busboy dishwasher lawncare jobs are ment for teens but buisness has found a cheaper model using immigrants. The true cost of illegal immigration is glossed over when we say it is beneficial to the Economy. Entry level jobs are ment for the young to build a work history and skills not for trying to raise a family. Taxpayers have to cover the cost and guess what the moneys not their anymore. But maybe grandma doesn’t need her Pension check so we can provide daycare for illegal immigrant kids. Only problem is grandma paid into the system for 30 years.
Comment by Fed up Monday, Mar 28, 11 @ 12:44 pm
wordslinger,
Last year, Cat paid $48M in state and local taxes. With the increased tax imposed by Quinn and the Democrats, Cat’s tax obligation rises to $60M.
Comment by Cincinnatus Monday, Mar 28, 11 @ 12:48 pm
–Parents, population shift effects welfare benefits: Sun-Times–
Barton, good to have you back for a couple days. However, I think you want to change that header to “affects.”
Comment by Proofreader Monday, Mar 28, 11 @ 12:52 pm
Fed up - So, all poor Latinos are illegal immigrants? There’s a well reasoned argument. The journalist, I guess, failed to mention that these were all illegal aliens stealing teenagers jobs and taxpayer money. Good thing we have you to shine a light for all of us in the dark.
Comment by Small Town Liberal Monday, Mar 28, 11 @ 1:00 pm
STL,
Care to show the quote from Fed up where he calls “all poor Latinos” illegal immigrants, or is this just another straw man attempt to deflect from the issue he is discussing which is the effect of illegal immigration on both welfare costs and teenage employment?
Comment by Cincinnatus Monday, Mar 28, 11 @ 1:06 pm
Cinci - Seriously? Fed up brought illegal immigration into a discussion that had nothing to do with illegal immigration. Illegals were his strawman, not mine. Try reading all the posts next time.
Comment by Small Town Liberal Monday, Mar 28, 11 @ 1:14 pm
Proofreader, you’re absolutely right. Dunno how I missed that. Correcting.
Fed up, get a little perspective man. You seem to be under the impression that everyone who receives help from the state is:
1) An immigrant
2) An illegal immigrant
That’s just not so, which punches a lot of holes in your argument. You’re making me worried about stepping out to go to class because you might take this another step further.
Remove thine blanket.
Comment by Barton Lorimor Monday, Mar 28, 11 @ 2:20 pm
Serieously, STL. Did you not read all of the articles? Especially the one about Chicago and Cook County refusing to participate in the Federal deportation program?
And why do you accuse Fed up of singling out Latinos when he spoke of immigrants, and only you mentioned Latinos. It would seem you are trying to discount and deflect Fed up’s argument by somehow implying he is racist.
Comment by Cincinnatus Monday, Mar 28, 11 @ 2:20 pm
ENOUGH! Please give me a good reason why I shouldn’t close comments and delete everyone’s posts. I’m not in the mood for this who is/is not a racist b.s.
Comment by Barton Lorimor Monday, Mar 28, 11 @ 2:24 pm
Barton,
Fed up’s point that entry level jobs are meant to provide a first rung on the success ladder should not be discounted. Any economic system that thinks that entry level work is intended to support families is headed for disaster.
And there is no denying that Illinois has a track record of allowing unqualified people access to its benefits, whether it is undocumented workers, or people from adjoining states to register for All Kids.
Perhaps, just perhaps, if we cleaned up the rolls of these programs to remove unqualified recipients, those qualified for benefits would be better off than they are now, and the state’s finances would be on sounder footing.
Comment by Cincinnatus Monday, Mar 28, 11 @ 2:26 pm
Fed up: More than 90 percent of Latino children are US-born citizens. Arguments about not using taxpayer $$ to care for them because they’re “illegal” don’t work…
Comment by chigal30 Monday, Mar 28, 11 @ 2:28 pm
I’m not discrediting his first rung argument. I’m getting p.o.ed that this post has become about blaming ethnicities for the state’s problems.
That’s not what the stories are saying or suggesting at all. There are a lot of assumptions and stereotyping going on around here, and I hold the CapFax crowd to a higher regard than that.
Comment by Barton Lorimor Monday, Mar 28, 11 @ 2:32 pm
Barton,
The story sites the Latino policy forum. The Latino Policy Forum website on the homepage talks about fighting for immigrants and immigration policy’s. So the article and it’s sources are what makes this about immigration no matter if the immigration is legal or not. I do not blame any ethnic group ( except the French ) for the states problems or the countries problems. I do however blame the elected officials who do not have the backbone to work together to solve the problems. Pointing out that their is a problem doesn’t make you a racist it’s name calling like that, that allows small minded persons to keep an issue from being discussed. As usual when name calling starts it’s because the argument is lost.
Comment by Fed up Monday, Mar 28, 11 @ 2:45 pm
Fed up: Not all Latinos are immigrants, and not all immigrants are Latinos. The two most certainly are not synonymous, yet you’re using the terms interchangeably. Almost ALL of the Latino children that benefit from child care services in this state are NOT immigrants. They were born here. The majority of their parents (70+ percent) are US citizens, either by birth or naturalization. In my opinion, you’re wrong to blame immigrants for our state’s challenges, but you’re absolutely right to hold our elected officials accountable.
Comment by chigal30 Monday, Mar 28, 11 @ 2:52 pm
Chigal30,
Maybe I do a bad job explaining myself. It is hard to blame someone for wanting to come to America to improve themselves or their children’s future and I don’t. I don’t believe immigrants and Latino are interchangeable I actually work in an area with a sizable polish immigrant community some of whom I am sure are illegal. I do believe companies knowingly use illegal immigrants to keep wages down and the result of this means these immigrants have to work multiple jobs and then the taxpayer has to pick up the costs of child care, healthcare and other associated costs. I do believe that you should have to provide a valid social security number to work in this country and that useing a false social security number is a crime. I do accept that exceptions have to be made for certain high skilled jobs. Every wave of immigration the U.S. Has seen ie Irish, Chinese started out as cheap laborer and then became accepted and I am certain the same will happen and is already happening with Latinos. My first comment about child care being cheaper in Mexico was a smart ass comment that is regrettable. I do believe that the community most affected by the proposed cuts is mostly immigrant and that is why the Latino Policy group is involved. if we enforced the work rules companies wouldn’t be able to exploit cheap immigrant labor and pass the real cost on to taxpayers.
Comment by Fed up Monday, Mar 28, 11 @ 3:29 pm
this story is a wonderful argument for an ‘Arizona” bill. We don’t need to import tax users, just tax payers. We’ve got plenty of home-grown users as it is.
Comment by park Monday, Mar 28, 11 @ 7:30 pm
A couple of phrases in earlier posts have struck me. True enforcement and real cost. I have met folks who could not make change without a cash register much less figure the true cost of things. Lets say big time ball player signs 100,000,000.00 contract and I don’t pay to see him play? A lot of folks will say good for him and no sweat off my back. Can you say hidden cost in a whole bunch of products and service. If I don’t pay for my health care who does? I do not have a problem with child care for working people, but yes someone needs to keep out the scammers. This is not an ethnic problem. I am personally aware of a least three young white couples who appear to be able bodied. They live in assited housing or with parents,recieve aid or unemployment. Raise children brought into this world and reared on the government dime. They rarely bother to look for work. Run around all day talking or texting on cell phone. Oh and eat out while they say they cannot buy diapers. Those handing out the dime should help to rearange these young folks prioritys.
Comment by Bemused Monday, Mar 28, 11 @ 8:15 pm
As our organziation has been mentioned several times in the comments on this page, we wanted to take a moment to leave our feedback as well:
Fed up: Thank you for visiting our website, but please take a closer look. Immigration-related policy is only a portion of the work we do. We also do extensive advocacy work related to early childhood education (and by extension, child care), work which benefits not only Illinois’ Latino families, but all Illinoisans. Giving Illinois’ youngest learners – Latino or not, immigrant or not – the tools they need to succeed academically is a proven sound investment, especially in challenging fiscal times. Research on a local preschool program by Nobel Laureate Dr. James Heckman at the University of Chicago shows a $7 return on each dollar invested, an ROI that is critical to build our future. And given that 1-in-5 school-age children in Illinois is Latino, it makes sense to focus on this community as we work toward a better future for all Illinoisans.
Cassandra: You asked if our organization had a list of “cuts which should be made in lieu of the cuts [we] are protesting.” We stand by our request for child care programs to be spared cuts for the reasons listed above and on our website. We supported Gov. Quinn’s decision to enhance revenue, and advocate for a debt restructuring to ensure that further cuts to vital, state-funded programs will not be necessary in the future.
Comment by Latino Policy Forum Tuesday, Mar 29, 11 @ 10:46 am