Early Childhood Funding on the Brink of Elimination

June 1, 2009

On May 31, the regular session of the General Assembly came to an end without solving the terrible budget problems facing the state.  The General Assembly did not approve the revenue needed to maintain vital education and human services.

While the Senate did advance a revenue increase bill, the House did not. Both chambers passed a package of budget bills, including state employee personnel lines and actions required under the federal stimulus funding, as well as SB1197. This bill provides lump sum payments to departments for their FY10 expenses. But this bill only provides 50% of the funding the governor proposed, leaving the decisions to the governor and agency directors on how to distribute the funds.

The bill now goes to the governor. If he signs this bill into law, state agencies including the Department of Human Services and the Illinois State Board of Education would be forced to decide which programs and services they can continue to fund and which programs will have to be severely cut. For programs that are not federally mandated, like home visiting and children’s mental health, elimination could be a potential outcome.

• This bill only provides $1.6 billion for DHS to fund more than $3.5 billion in services. That means that programs in DHS such as home visiting, child care, children’s mental health, and early intervention would face serious cuts at the least.
• ISBE has $900 million in programs which remain unfunded including $380 million for the Early Childhood Block Grant.  Yet the bill only provides for a little more than $500 million in funds.

It is unacceptable for our state to decimate programs for its vulnerable citizens, especially young children and families.

The governor has proposed that legislative leaders meet with him over the coming days and weeks to work on a different solution.

We need you to take action:

• Email and call Governor Quinn and urge him to veto all budget bills. Urge him to bring the four legislative leaders together immediately to begin to work on a fair budget that maintains investments in early childhood programs and other key spending for education and human services.
• Contact your state senator and representative and tell them that this budget is unacceptable. Ask them to tell their legislative leaders that new action is required. Also be sure to tell your legislator to support the revenue needed for a balanced budget that supports investments in early childhood.
• Tell all your friends, family, coworkers, board members, and program participants to take action to protect funding for early childhood programs.