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Our rapidly crumbling human service infrastructure

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* From Emily Miller at Voices for Illinois Children…

Today marks the start of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. All across the country, advocacy groups, survivors and allies will be joining together to remember those who have lost their lives as well as those who managed to survive and to teach others the importance of creating a culture free from fear of abuse.

But this year, by failing to pass a fully funded year-long budget, the governor and Illinois lawmakers have eliminated state investments in services to empower and protect survivors of domestic and sexual abuse. This failure has put the lives of tens of thousands of people, mostly women and children, at risk.

Instead of receiving the help they need to heal, physically and emotionally, survivors in Illinois now face the reality that our elected leaders simply do not care enough to protect them.

The consequences of the budget impasse are real, not exaggerated. They include:

* Ending state funding for services that help 75,000 survivors of domestic violence across the state of Illinois—20,000 women and children in Cook County alone. This includes medical, psychological and legal services as well as emergency shelter and other protections.

* Some rape crisis centers are facing closure and others will be forced to lay off 30-40 percent of their staffs in the coming months, which would result in turning away 3,400 victims of sexual violence who need advocacy and counseling;

* Eliminating state funding for services that provide immediate crisis intervention for at least 3,700 survivors of sexual assault;

* Eliminating state funding of civil legal aid, compromising access to the civil justice system for 17,500 vulnerable Illinoisans impacted by domestic violence, eviction, and financial exploitation.

Go read the rest.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 8:39 am

Comments

tl;dr

-ck

Comment by LizPhairTax Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 8:52 am
Massive deficits and destruction of tne social service infrastructure are a small price to pay for the clear and quantifiable ROI of enacting the governor’s political agenda.

He has outlined those benefits comprehensively and in-depth.

Hasn’t he?

Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 8:54 am
Until groups, including Ounce of Prevention, realize what legislators and what statewide officials do not have their best interest (to say the least) at heart… and these pols refusing to fund, support, champion their goals… until groups are willing to be impactful… to these legislators… making these legislators feel heat from these groups… I don’t know if just “educating” the damage will help.

Like the Unions, Rauner is betting these groups, one headed, ironically, by his wife, really won’t have the juice or the stomach to take him on.

It’s obvious Rauner has little regard, and far less respect. It’s brutal, but it’s honest.

Rauner is far closer to 60 and 30 than Unions and these Social Service and Advocacy Groups are to keeping their funding or their programs.

It’s happening now. It’s real. It’s not stopping until these Social Service Groups can make it stop.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 8:55 am
Simply shameful.

Comment by Stones Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 8:55 am
whew.

So glad Mr. Big Money is a Christian. It might be really bad if he was faithless. /s

Comment by cdog Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 8:57 am
And we got… ConAgra. Rauner says they will still get the EDGE money since the deal was being talked about prior to the June decision he made to suspend all EDGE grants.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/conagra-cuts-1500-jobs-moving-hq-from-omaha-to-chicago/2015/10/01/8dc9d6ae-6833-11e5-bdb6-6861f4521205_story.html

http://www.illinois.gov/dceo/ExpandRelocate/Incentives/taxassistance/Pages/EDGE.aspx

Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 8:58 am
when it comes to the budget it is on Rauner! He won’t talk budget until he gets his non budget items. the dems want and will negotiate on the budget. As long as Rauner says no to budgets until he gets his turn around agenda, then the dems are off the hook. Rauner is creating a budget crisis while being clear he does not care until he gets his non budget items.

Comment by Facts are Stubborn Things Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 8:59 am
@Facts are Stubborn Things

Yep, when you generically lump in all Illinois lawmakers, especially the ones that passed a budget (although underfunded admittedly, but they could have fixed that once they came to terms on spending), you downplay the real problem; the governor has no desire to have a budget. If he did, we would.

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 9:02 am
Willie,

We both totally agree on this. It does not appear that these groups are not handing out tens of thousands of cards with the phone numbers of Rauner and Madigan so those impacted can complain. As you say, news releases will not turn up the heat on lawmakers so nothing will change.

Comment by Muscular Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 9:08 am
The Rauner Legacy?

A 3-seat Raunerite pickup in the state House.

A 2-3 seat Raunerite pickup in the state Senate.

Democratic Raunerites are seated in both state Chambers.

That will be the legacy. Sadly, it’s just going to come down, for Rauner, it’s 60 and 30, no matter the cost. (See - Dunkin, Ken)

Rauner has his name on a YMCA and his wife is President of a well-known Social Service Advocacy group. It’s about appearing to care, the appearance.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 9:10 am
None of this matters - according to several commenters yesterday , our governor is Winning. Everything else is just ,you know, Madigan…

Comment by Roadiepig Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 9:11 am
For a very long time the leaders of many of these social service groups were supporters of most Democratic campaigns. There is nothing sinister about that fact. They simply had an ideological affinity to be liberal Democrats. They also were not shy about leveraging this to increase their funding. Perfectly natural occurrence .

This political infrastructure is collapsing now and the people receiving the services from these groups are the collateral damage.

Comment by Cassiopeia Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 9:14 am
Muscular-

Mailings cost money and time to get out. And most are done with Bulk mail- not always the most timely delivery known by USPS. How effective do you really think those would be? Maybe news releases won’t turn up the heat much now, but I’ll bet more people will read those than a card in the mail. IMO this has also got to get into the national news more. I have a feeling that the prez campaign is taking a lot of interest away from the numerous Illinois pot boilers going on. And, as many others have pointed out, the Feds may step in on some of these issues if Illinois is not fulfilling their legal obligations in the federal fundings they receive.

Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 9:15 am
Until human services providers realize their champions in the majority are using them to try and make the new Governor look bad, a resolution will be slow to come.

They get many soft nods of agreement from Democratic legislators who commiserate with them about their fate and wish upon a star if only this mean Governor would drop his demands for needed reform. Meanwhile, they do nothing.

They are for everyone, and ironically, effective for no one.

Comment by Realize Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 9:19 am
- Realize -,

“Because… Madigan”?

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 9:21 am
“T̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶p̶o̶l̶i̶t̶i̶c̶a̶l̶ ̶i̶n̶f̶r̶a̶s̶t̶r̶u̶c̶t̶u̶r̶e̶ State government is collapsing n̶o̶w̶ since Rauner took office and the people receiving the services from these groups are t̶h̶e̶ ̶c̶o̶l̶l̶a̶t̶e̶r̶a̶l̶ ̶d̶a̶m̶a̶g̶e̶ not people he cares about.”

– MrJM

Comment by @MisterJayEm Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 9:26 am
Gurus, conservatives must see that Rauner will ultimately cause their downfall. Don’t they? Will conservatives with a heart and conscience mount some kind of counter-revolution? I hear the angst in OW and other well-reasoned conservatives voices. Raunerism is not valid conservative doctrine or practice. It’s oligarchical fascism. Are there coup plans or is all lost?

Comment by Honeybear Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 9:27 am
“They get many soft nods of agreement from Democratic legislators who commiserate with them about their fate and wish upon a star if only this mean Governor would drop his demands for n̶e̶e̶d̶e̶d̶ ̶r̶e̶f̶o̶r̶m̶ union busting.”

You guys get so very close to the truth, but then you blink.

– MrJM

Comment by @MisterJayEm Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 9:28 am
The hard and obvious question is - who will blink first? Every advocacy tool that has been pulled out to date has been met with the same response, “I hear you. If Madigan/Rauner would just agree with me, this problem would be fixed.” Will thousands of calls do that? Will marches? What will it take for one of them - ideally both of them - to say “ok. This cannot go on. I will change my position to bring this to an end.”

I fear the only real thing that will make one of them blink is a very tragic incident that is a direct result of this impasse.

Comment by Montrose Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 9:31 am
“Looks like a good 10 months of work!” Frat boys, Oct. 1, 2015. (/s)

Comment by Norseman Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 9:31 am
== Will conservatives with a heart and conscience mount some kind of counter-revolution? ==

Not likely, even though almost all call themselves followers of the man who said “What you do to the least of these, you do to me.”

Comment by nona Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 9:32 am
==I fear the only real thing that will make one of them blink is a very tragic incident that is a direct result of this impasse.==

And Rauner believes that his desire to bust unions is worth that very tragic incident, whatever it may be.

Comment by Roamin' Numeral Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 9:34 am
I don’t know what’s worse: That our social service infrastructure is disintegrating into dust before our eyes, or that a significant number of people in this state just don’t seem to care.

Comment by Tournaround Agenda Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 9:36 am
- Honeybear -

All you ask and reason and look to find relief and solace and hope is leveraged with $20 million in Rauner’s coffers, being held over the heads of the 67, because if Rauner felt he could trust that there would be no revolt, the $20 million would be in Radogno’s and Durkin’s own coffers.

It’s not. Not by accident. By design.

There will be no revolt. There will be no free thinking.

Either be like The Owl, or be a quiet owl in the background. Those are the choices.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 9:36 am
$20 million is “buying” a LOT of destruction. Cheap investment on Rauner’s part. Expensive “mortgage” for the rest of Illinois.

Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 9:47 am
Once again. It won’t help to fix a budget issue anyway if you leave the ones who caused it by forgoing their responsibility to pay debts especially those owed to state union workers with the power to continue to skip payments in the future. You don’t treat the symptoms and expect the cause of the symptoms to get better.

Comment by Strangerthings Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 9:51 am
Then Rauner has nothing to fear from conservatives as well. “Hi my name is Labor. This is Social services. And that over there, cowering in the corner is Illinois People. Welcome to the club. What did you say your name was? Nice to meet you Illinois Conservative.”

Comment by Honeybear Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 9:56 am
- Honeybear -,

Conservatives are beside themselves with this Administration at times, even more so that I think they thought they’d be.

Rauner co-opted the ILGOP brand. Rauner is wrapping the Raunerite Agenda in the trappings and ribbons of what Rauner wants to be “sold” as Republican. It’s an absolutely genius the way he orchestrated this leverage buyout of the ILGOP.

The buyout and leverage has been so complete, the $20 million, it just solidified the purchase, not part of the initial deal.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 10:03 am
Ugh,

My phone cycled out, ” - Anonymous - ” above is me

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 10:05 am
The union busting is just Rauner trying to create the illusion of a problem where there isnt one. The real problem is all those payment holidays. Strip that capability away get current on the budget and debts of all kinds and your a huge step closer to problem solved. Well simplistic version

Comment by Strangerthings Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 10:06 am
Rauner is rich enough not to be effected by any of this. He isn’t friends with anyone effected by any of this.

Rauner favors chaos. He believes in it. He believes it is good for needy people to find their own means to provide. Rauner believes in tough love. He believes that change is good. He has stated that he believes the best course of action is to “hit hard and hit early”.

This governor doesn’t have a stable business history. He doesn’t know how to stabilize anything other than his own bank accounts. He made his money breaking things, selling off parts, rolling things into new conglomerations and forcing bankruptcies upon those things which could not stand on their own.

Consequently, we cannot expect stability, order or respect for institutions and traditions from Bruce Rauner. Although he is governor, he is disinterested in governing, calming, solving or leadership since he feels it may hinder the chaos he feels is needed.

Governors are supposed to represent all citizens. They are supposed to bring order from chaos. They are supposed to find compromise. We have a governor who doesn’t want to do those things.

Anyone thinking that this governor will fix what is broken is assuming that Rauner will respect what is broken enough to fix it. What we have discovered is that Bruce Rauner believes that what broke, needs to be thrown away - not fixed.

We have a generation of young people who have never experienced stability enough to cherish it. They have been repeatedly told that they are on their own, that no public institution will help them, that it is a cruel world of limited resources. Consequently we have them splintering between those who fear that they need to fight for their spot on a lifeboat, and those who fear that they need to help others find a spot on a lifeboat. Selfishness and thoughtfulness within the same generation, both motivated by a belief that the future looks bleak.

Governors are supposed to provide calm. This governor won’t do it.

Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 10:21 am
Here is a link to the Voices website where you can send a message to Rauner and legislators:
http://www.voices4kids.org/what-you-can-do/policy-action-center/
Bottom line- Rauner and his ilk believe if an individual (or family) has a problem, it’s up to them to solve it. They believe the state has no role to pay. You know…self sufficiency and all that.

Comment by Former Hoosier Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 10:28 am
Human services aren’t the only thing crumbling. From a Ch. 4 news story about lack of funding for 911 call centers:

Funding for 911 call centers are collected from fees landlines and cell phones. Rauner said he can’t distribute the money unless a state budget is in place.

“This is money that’s owed to the citizens of St. Clair County, that they pay for. The state is simply a pass through and they have no right to keep those funds from the citizens,” said St. Clair County Board Chairman Mark Kern.

Some local 911 call centers may soon have to dip into reserve funds, face layoffs, or shut down. St. Clair County has filed a lawsuit against Rauner to force him to release the funds that have already been paid by fees on phones.

Comment by Former Hoosier Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 10:41 am
Oswego Willy (Anonymous) at 10:03 that was brilliant. Excellent. Succinctly said.

Comment by Cheswick Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 10:41 am
If Rauner and his Rs are going to hold the budget hostage to an agenda, I think it’s fair for every one of us to hold future agenda hostage to this budget.

R: “This feel-good bill will help with (children, domestic violence, education, economic growth)”

Everyone else: “No, you don’t get to pass it, you accepted money in return for damaging this very same constituency. If it’s a good idea, someone else can put their name on it.”

Comment by crazybleedingheart Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 10:48 am
Just heard about some entities threatening to shut off utilities to some state sites due to lack of payments.

I blame them all - Rs & Ds for not compromising and for causing the mess Illinois is in.

Comment by logic not emotion Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 11:01 am
If only there were some checks-and-balances built into the Illinois Constitution so that Illinois wouldn’t be subject to Rauner’s destruction.

Why didn’t anyone think of this “rogue governor” scenario in 1970???

Comment by Anonners #25 Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 11:13 am
Lack of funding for 911 call centers. Here it is, the tragic incident waiting to happen.

Comment by cailleach Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 11:15 am
Thanks - Cheswick -. Appreciate that.

If Rauner would’ve ran as an Indie (Nearly impossible to do if the situation is good and easier), a vast majority of my beefs would go away, and the rest would be gone if Rauner would just say, “I’m looking for my agenda, I leveraged a party, deal with it”.

This phony idea that Rauner is a Republican looking to build the ILGOP is embarrassing to believe on its merits, let alone on Rauner’s own actions.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 11:23 am
“Hi Rich,

Without the governor’s needed reforms, the state of Illinois cannot afford to pass the Democrats’ unbalanced budget to keep 911 call centers open. We cannot afford to be competent without being competitive.

Thanks!
ck”

Comment by Tournaround Agenda Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 11:24 am
Anonners #25, who could have thought of this? This is political realism of the sort this nation hasn’t seen. In seminary, I took 4 classes from the late Jean Bethke Elshtain. Two of them dealt with political realism. This is what we’re dealing with now. “The strong will do as they will and the weak will suffer what they must.” (Melian Dialogue, History of the Peloponnesian War, Thucydides)

Comment by Honeybear Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 11:29 am
Is the Governor looking to replace “draconian” with “Rauneresque”? Cause he’s becoming quite good at it.

Comment by 3234 Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 11:43 am
“This is political realism of the sort this nation hasn’t seen”

If by “political realism” you mean “dropping all pretense of being about ideas or principles of governing, in favor of blatantly doing whatever benefits the rich, popular, powerful, and connected, regardless of their political leanings” then I would have to agree.

Comment by Secret Square Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 11:43 am
This is on more people than Rauner. It’s on those who elected him, knowing full well what he stood for. To these kinds of folks, people need to be prioritized according to their perceived (by whom?) value and contributions. This is about nothing more than counting cash.
If some of these folks think they are untouchable, that they could never be on the “other side”, they are more than fools.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 11:48 am
The Illinois Sports Facilities Authority announced they are spending $7.3 million for three new video boards for the White Sox so their billionaire owner and millionaire players can sell more advertising.

How many sexual assault and domestic violence victims would that help?

Comment by Jeff Trigg Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 11:56 am
Secret Square, bingo

Comment by Honeybear Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 12:51 pm
OW 10:03 was good. Thanks for ID.

Thought for a second you had an acolyte

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 1:13 pm
Anon 1:13 was me. My phone keeps recycling too

Comment by walker Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 1:37 pm
++- logic not emotion - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 11:01 am:
Just heard about some entities threatening to shut off utilities to some state sites due to lack of payments.
I blame them all - Rs & Ds for not compromising and for causing the mess Illinois is in.++

There is no compromise when one side refuses. The ‘Rs’ refuse to compromise so… therefore, ‘Ds’ hands are tied.

Comment by Mama Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 3:06 pm
- Cassiopeia - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 9:14 am: For >a very long time the leaders of many of these >social service groups were supporters of most >Democratic campaigns. There is nothing sinister >about that fact. They simply had an ideological >affinity to be liberal Democrats. They also were >not shy about leveraging this to increase their >funding. Perfectly natural occurrence .This >political infrastructure is collapsing now and >the people receiving the services from these >groups are the collateral damage.

I strongly disagree. Most social service groups have no political affiliation at all and work with their representatives regardless of party affiliation. And at least in the developmental disabilities side of services, there has been no thing but cuts since Blago, Quinn included, so no democratic party favoritism. Finally, it’s an insult to Republicans are not champions of services to those in need.

Comment by Earnest Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 3:19 pm
- walker -

Thanks, and much respect right back at you, as always.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 3:25 pm
Check Rauner’s transition team list.

A lot of folks with deep pockets who serve on the boards of a lot of nonprofits thought they had their personal charities protected.

Oops.

Comment by Juvenal Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 3:59 pm
=== Finally, it’s an insult to Republicans are not champions of services to those in need. ===

Where are those champions now? I’ll tell you. They have been purchased or coerced.

Comment by Norseman Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 4:25 pm
Anyone care to offer the defense for the position of setting preconditions before dealing with the fiscal calamity?

Anyone care to sell the bright sunny day to come that’s worth the price being paid, today?

The governor has a bully pulpit and a load of money.

I think he should sell it. He’s really good at that, he says.

He should do it now.Time to get out of the Blago Bunker.

If he does not, you have to ask, “why not?”

Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 4:41 pm
Juvenal, that’s a good point. A wealthy 1% family member joins boards of non-profits just to pad her resume. Not a crap is given about the non-profit or it’s mission. Personal experience with that one. My spouse was desperately looking for a job and trying to work for one in St. Louis. Family member listened intently about the charity. Several months later she’s on the board of directors after donating 10 grand at the charities annual ball.

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Oct 2, 15 @ 7:36 am