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* Mark Brown…
Three months after the Illinois Legislature overrode Gov. Bruce Rauner’s vetoes to end a two-year budget stalemate, social service agencies held hostage during the impasse are still struggling to get back to normal.
Although funding is flowing again, many agencies are still owed substantial sums for past work performed for the state.
Then there is the more subtle damage: lost trust with program participants who couldn’t depend on the agency’s doors staying open, valued employees who quit to pursue careers with more reliable sources of income, remaining workers caught in the layoff-scarred mentality of waiting for the next shoe to drop.
“It is a challenge when programs are cut and you have to start and stop, start and stop,” said Mariana Osoria, a vice president with Family Focus, a social service provider that operates from seven locations in Chicago and the suburbs.
Family Focus specializes in early childhood development and related family support programs, including immigration services.
But in June as the state’s budget impasse surpassed the two-year mark with no end in sight, Family Focus found itself in the middle of the state political fight.
Owed $2.7 million by the state at that point for services already provided and having made some layoffs, agency officials essentially said they couldn’t take it any more.
Go read the whole thing. Powerful stuff.
* Pritzker campaign…
Social service agencies are still reeling from the lack of steady state funds throughout Bruce Rauner’s 736-day budget crisis.
Even three months after the legislature overrode Rauner’s reckless veto, places like Family Focus are still owed large sums and are attempting to resume services to their pre-crisis capacity. Agencies must also rebuild trust in their communities after layoffs cut off services for those in need.
“Bruce Rauner leveraged the tools Illinoisans need to build better lives in order to advance his political agenda,” said Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh. “After mass layoffs decimated our social service agencies, it will take years to repair the damage done by Rauner’s manufactured budget crisis.”
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 12:43 pm
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Well, Rauner and his complicit enablers sure did get over on those do-gooder collectivists who believed in the sanctity of contracts and did their bit in good faith.
There’s a new kind of “conservative” in Illinois: for the revised definition, see “deadbeat” or “con man.”
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 12:51 pm
Good thing JB Pritzker, his family and the foundations gave Diana Rauner’s The Ounce that $5 million so Diana wouldn’t have the difficulties other social services not having Diana Rauner as their President are facing.
Don’t take my word for it, take Diana Rauner’s word…
===”More than three decades of experience have led us to identify some big bets that have the potential to transform early learning. We are so grateful to the J.B. and M.K. Pritzker Family Foundation for sharing our belief in these innovations,” said Diana Rauner, president of the Ounce of Prevention Fund. “By developing strong leaders and programs, empowering parents and strengthening early learning systems, together we can change lives for children and families.”===
This happened while Bruce Rauner was squeezing other social services. The Pritzkers helped bail out Diana. The Ounce was owed over $7 million by the Rauner Administration, and while others, including The Ounce, sued the Administration, Diana Rauner was quoted as saying it was a “business decision” to seek the monies owed by her husband’s administration.
Just for some, shall we say, context.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 12:56 pm
To be conservative means to conserve - not to deliberately abuse to bring about failure. Maintaining citizen services is cheaper than on/off Rauner incompetence, which wastes money. Rauner actually raised our taxes by sheer incompetence and ignorance. He’s not conservative.
It will take years of higher taxes to restore what we had before Rauner destroyed it. Smart governors know you don’t deliberately gut services in order to create efficiencies.
Rauner isn’t conservative. He has done to taxpayers what he’s done to the unborn - lie.
Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 1:32 pm
Yep and state employees are still waiting for the back pay the Illinois Supreme Court said must be paid in May of 2016. The legislators need to appropriate this money as it is the state’s oldest bill. I’ll hold my breath.
Comment by Justdoingtime Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 1:33 pm
One of my economic measures is how many folks are asking for Benefit Letters from DHS in order to apply for LIHEAP, heating assistance.
It’s going to be a brutal winter.
Off the charts
Economists don’t measure LIHEAP apps or how many elderly are working at Walmart, busy Goodwill is, etc.
Folks it’s really really bad here
And we now don’t have the helping organizations
They went under during
The impasse.
Comment by Honeybear Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 1:36 pm
Dear Rich, How is Lutheran Social Services doing? Have they been paid up for past services?
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 2:00 pm
Yes, they are. Now stay tuned for next week’s Rauner ad touting Illinois’ great social service system thanks to his leadership.
Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 2:15 pm
Hbear where does one get the number of letters being generated? that could be a telling stat?
Comment by NothsideNoMore Tuesday, Oct 17, 17 @ 3:50 pm