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“It’s gonna be a hard year”

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Illinois

* Tony Arnold at WBEZ…

Organizations that serve victims of domestic violence are about to stop receiving money from the Illinois state government because lawmakers and Gov. Bruce Rauner have not approved a full budget.

Last year when the state government faced a similar scenario, the Democrat-controlled legislature and Rauner struck a deal to release state funds for lottery winners, salt for roads and more than $18 million for domestic violence shelters.

Another deal was struck in June of 2016 for a six month spending plan for most state services.

But domestic violence organizations were not included in that plan.

Now, managers of domestic violence organizations are trying to figure out what happens if there is once again no state budget.

“It’s gonna be a hard year,” said Jane Farmer of the Turning Point program in Woodstock, Ill.

Farmer said last year, the organization received more than 2,600 crisis calls — and she’s expecting a similar number of calls in 2017. She said she is thinking of taking out a loan and leaving a position vacant until there’s a budget. […]

“We fully intend to pay all domestic violence programs that have contracts with the state in full once the General Assembly passes a balanced budget alongside meaningful structural reforms,” said DHS spokeswoman Meghan Powers in a statement.

2,600 crisis calls in a year in a picturesque village of 25,000 people.

And yet, no money.

We really need a budget.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Dec 22, 16 @ 12:27 pm

Comments

== She said she is thinking of taking out a loan … ==

Understand the passion to keep it going, but might want to carefully think about it. Recent history and logic suggests there may not be any more money for the rest of FY17.

Comment by RNUG Thursday, Dec 22, 16 @ 12:34 pm
“We fully intend to pay all domestic violence programs that have contracts with the state in full once the General Assembly passes a balanced budget alongside meaningful structural reforms,” said DHS spokeswoman Meghan Powers in a statement.

Meantime…. “Change is hard.” Bruce Rauner.

And his administration is making the dollars and common “cents” their own “change” to jingle away. “Blaming Madigan…” and writing your own “naughty” list isn’t going to make January 1, 2017 magically disappear. Rauner could change, he just doesn’t want to. It will always be Reforms before Budget. If not, I hope he proves me wrong. In the meantime, we all pay and pay and pay in so many terrible ways.

Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Dec 22, 16 @ 12:43 pm
“… once the General Assembly passes a balanced budget alongside meaningful structural reforms,”

WOW just wow.

Comment by Unsolicited Advice Thursday, Dec 22, 16 @ 12:47 pm
We need to accept the tax cut that the Governor championed in his campaign has been disastrous.

Comment by Dan Johnson Thursday, Dec 22, 16 @ 12:47 pm
And some wondered why my Christmas song parodies were so bleak this year?

Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Dec 22, 16 @ 12:49 pm
Dan,

True.

Also

We need to accept … that [Rauner] … has been disastrous.

Comment by Handle Bar Mustache Thursday, Dec 22, 16 @ 12:49 pm
No humor of any kind remaining in “the beatings will continue until morale improves.”

Comment by crazybleedingheart Thursday, Dec 22, 16 @ 1:04 pm
As long as the counter to the gov is “say no and watch it burn” then there might not be much reason to be optimistic for an end to the impasse.

Really I guess I just realized that that could really apply to both sides.

So as long as the strategy of both sides is…

Comment by m Thursday, Dec 22, 16 @ 1:05 pm
Just the beginning, non-profits throughout the state are teetering on the edge of oblivion. While many of them are really just boutique operations there are many more that are critical to keeping our society from chaos. Both parties are culpable. While the Dems bear the largest share of blame that doesn’t fix this. But obviously neither side has had enough pain yet get ready for more of Illinois to self-destruct. Happy New Year to all!

Comment by NeverPoliticallyCorrect Thursday, Dec 22, 16 @ 1:09 pm
Seven calls a day in a town of 25,000 — I’m not surprised, based on my cop reporter days.

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Dec 22, 16 @ 1:15 pm
== While the Dems bear the largest share of blame that doesn’t fix this.==

No, Rauner bears the largest share of blame. He is the one that claimed he could run the State with a tax cut from 5% t6o 3.75% when he asked the GA not to extend the 5% rate. Yet he has no plans on how to do that. Furthermore, he is the one who has reneged on his Constitutional responsibility as the Governor, to prepare and submit a balanced budget. He hasn’t shown any plans on how he intends to to that either. And he is the one holding budget discussion hostage to his non-budgetary demands.

Comment by Joe M Thursday, Dec 22, 16 @ 1:18 pm
Reason for the season or season for the reason?

Comment by Rabid Thursday, Dec 22, 16 @ 1:23 pm
- Handle Bar Mustache - Thursday, Dec 22, 16 @ 12:49 pm:
“We need to accept … that [Rauner] … has been disastrous.”

Disasters cause crisis which creates leverage… Rauner has delivered as promised.

Comment by Jimmy H Thursday, Dec 22, 16 @ 1:24 pm
Largest share of the blame might appropriately go to the guy with a constitutional responsibility to actually propose a balanced budget. The guy who, instead of using the power most executives would kill for and line item the budget sent to him by the legislature, decided to burn the house down and kill the hostages. He did not run on any of the actions he has chosen to take. If he’d quit campaignin’ long enough to make a true budget deal, he might get a few reforms. We were $5 billion in the hole when George Ryan left office. Everyone knows we have to get rid of the structural deficit that was glossed over for decades. Who can blame anyone for not wanting to go first?

Comment by Sense of a Goose Thursday, Dec 22, 16 @ 1:29 pm
==2,600 crisis calls in a year in a picturesque village of 25,000 people.==

==Seven calls a day in a town of 25,000 — I’m not surprised, based on my cop reporter days.==

Turning Point serves all of McHenry County, not just Woodstock…that’s simply where they are based. Not to diminish their excellent work or their need to receive funding, just pointing that out.

Comment by Quick Note Thursday, Dec 22, 16 @ 1:44 pm
You would wish stories such as this (and others that have been repeatedly reported here) would at some point encourage both sides of the aisle to end this impasse and try to come to some unpleasant compromise in the middle for all (no, compromise isn’t always pleasurable). Yes, BOTH sides (no question this is a two-sided impasse).

Comment by Just Sayin' Thursday, Dec 22, 16 @ 2:23 pm
Meanwhile…a grant for Technical Assistance as part of the Employment First effort for people with developmental disabilities did not go to any of the in-state applicants, but to this corporation: http://www.econsys.com/ Multi-state corporations are Rauner’s vision of the future of human services in Illinois. Democrats vision of the future of human services is…well, I’m not sure, probably continued, stable, underfunding.

Comment by Earnest Thursday, Dec 22, 16 @ 2:31 pm