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Social service groups to appeal ruling

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Illinois

* AP…

Social service providers are appealing a judge’s dismissal of their lawsuit asking the court to force payment on contracts with the state of Illinois.

The Pay Now Illinois coalition said Thursday morning that it intends to appeal Cook County Judge Rodolfo Garcia’s Aug. 31 ruling to an Illinois appeals court. Garcia says the issue belongs in a higher court.

The coalition includes nearly 100 social service providers. The group sued in May over fallout from the state’s budget stalemate. They argue the state breached its service contracts and they are owed roughly $160 million collectively for services, including health care and programs to fight homelessness.

The list of appellants is now down to 47. Click here to see the full list. Mrs. Rauner’s Ounce of Prevention is still on the list.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Sep 15, 16 @ 1:13 pm

Comments

A local faith-based organization with numerous programs and locations in several counties has been dropped from the list even though as of 3 months ago they were owed close to $1 million for services they provide to the state under signed contracts.

I’ve placed a call to the CEO - can’t wait for an explanation.

Comment by illini Thursday, Sep 15, 16 @ 1:41 pm
I hate to say this but “good luck with that”. This was a doomed strategy from the start I think. I understand that the administration has you by the collective goonies and the reduced list confirms that the administration has been squeezing those goonies, but that was already happening before. Now maybe I’m not in the right place to hear it, but I haven’t been hearing the roar and cries of calamity and abuse from social services. I haven’t been seeing you at the rallies. Again maybe I’m wrong but what I suspect is that you’ve got donors who are keeping you quiet in the media. If that is the case. That’s too bad. They have not had your best interests at heart. But what am I saying. It’s just a “business decision” right?

Until I see you next to me in the front line, I’ll keep wishing you “good luck with that”.

Comment by Honeybear Thursday, Sep 15, 16 @ 1:44 pm
Honeybear, in some cases it may be donors, but I bet the bigger stick is the potential that the State wouldn’t renew contracts with groups that went beyond a neutral ‘we need a budget’ message.

Comment by Century Club Thursday, Sep 15, 16 @ 2:00 pm
Good point Century club. I would still argue that they long ago should have “come to Jesus” that Rauner didn’t care about them and that he was operating under the dictum that “you don’t have to pay what doesn’t survive”.

Just a personal preference, but I’m going to go down swinging. I think they should have done the same.

Comment by Honeybear Thursday, Sep 15, 16 @ 2:16 pm
The higher court is the wrong answer. The cases need to be filed in the Illinois ct of claims. Only place a breach of contract against the state can be heard

Comment by Sue Thursday, Sep 15, 16 @ 2:19 pm
To the previous posts - granted probably 90% of this groups funding is from a combination of federal/state sources and the remaining is from the local churches that provide help. Yet, being a Million short has to crimp your budget and programs.

Comment by illini Thursday, Sep 15, 16 @ 2:19 pm
I would be pleasantly surprised if the higher court orders payment. If officials promised payment outside the terms of the contract, they exceeded their authority.

The GA needs to hold hearings on who promised what. Build that set of facts and then decide how to move forward.

Comment by Last Bull Moose Thursday, Sep 15, 16 @ 2:27 pm
As i mentioned previously this issue has already been litigated to the supreme court and lost. Included in the line of cases was one involving JBT

Comment by Ghost Thursday, Sep 15, 16 @ 3:11 pm
The only thing they could try to hang their hat on is a claim of deliberate fraud. To achieve that, they are going to need a smoking gun; either snail mail, email or phone recordings showing people at the State were promising stuff they knew to be untrue.

Comment by RNUG Thursday, Sep 15, 16 @ 3:50 pm
I don’t see how a fraud charge can stick. All involved knew the officials could not commit the State to clauses outside the contract.

Comment by Last Bull Moose Thursday, Sep 15, 16 @ 6:07 pm
- Last Bull Moose -

I agree it is a real long shot, but I can’t think of anything else that might have a chance of working.

Comment by RNUG Thursday, Sep 15, 16 @ 9:35 pm