April 18, 2008

CURRENT SERVICES AND CURRENT CAPACITY PROTECTED. Although this 2008 budget has lots of cuts and sweeps (see summary below), it appears that current health and human services to current people and current capacity for health and human services are protected.  We have been assured (first hand and face to face down at the legislature) by various sources, agencies, legislative leaders, legislators, and Governor's office that no current services are cut and no capacity is lost - for now.   We are doing a detailed analysis to determine real and final impacts but it looks like rational thinking and goodness prevailed this round.  We am told Governor will sign this budget.  Your advocacy efforts paid off by supporting reasonable options and no cuts to vital health and human services.  

REAL PAIN MAY BE COMING IN 2009 BUDGET. Everyone is saying the real pain is coming in 2009 budget, so we have our work cut out for us. Flat budgets in 2009 will still be cuts, because of significantly rising costs for transportation, health care, and now food and other costs.  Real inflation is probably around 10% so real cuts will be coming just if programs have flat budgets for 2009.   So we have to fight even harder for 2009 to sustain current services and current capacity even at a current levels and rates.

REMAIN VIGILANT TO STOP CUTS. Many in the opposition are still hell bent on cutting health and human services from an anti-government ideological stance.  And that is without using all the tools available like tax reform and creating a fair, equitable, progressive and adequate tax structure.  The opposition to health and human services wants to lower eligibility limits in most programs to permanently cut programs.  We must continue to oppose such cuts.  So we must remain vigilant and be prepared to do even more advocacy in the next month to stop cuts the 2009 budget. 

Thanks for all your advocacy to make this a decent budget with limited negative impact on poor and vulnerable people.  Please thank those legislative leaders and the members who supported them and the Governor who worked so hard to protect health and human services for children and vulnerable adults.