April 22, 2008

THE SKY IS NOT FALLING --- There are budget solutions for FY2009

Despite what you may have heard, there are options and solutions for the 2009 budget that do not require deep cuts to critical health and human services for children and vulnerable adults.  The chart at the bottom of this email outlines those options. 

These options will be hotly debated. Some are very controversial. Nevertheless, they demonstrate there are solutions which can protect health and human services during an economic downturn when demand is growing.  And there are other options which still are not on the table like tax reform which should be considered. 

Our message to the Governor and Legislators remains:

·         Do NOT cut critical safety net health and human services for children and vulnerable adults when demand is growing.

·         Protect current services to current people being served and protect current capacity during this critical time of an economic downturn.

·         Don't lower eligibility limits in programs.  Working families need critical supports during an economic recession.

·         There are reasonable options for 2009 including bonding, rollovers, additional sweeps, the rainy day fund, and other revenue generators.  (See the chart below.)

·         Demand continues to increase. Some community agencies are experiencing increases of 40% to 60% in requests for essential services for the necessities of life.

·         Flat budgets will already be a cut as costs for transportation, health care, and food and other services increase.

·         Finally, open the budget discussion with more transparency and meaningful public input.

A BAD IDEA - ACTION ALERT - URGE SENATORS TO STOP HCR 2044.

TAKE ACTION - CLICK AND SEND A LETTER TODAY

http://capwiz.com/socialworkers/az/issues/alert/?alertid=11237021

·         Please urge your state senators to vote against HCR 2044.  Click on the link, fill in the blanks and a letter will be sent directly to your Senator urging them to vote against HCR 2044. You can personalize the letter too.  

·         The Senate Appropriations Committee reconsidered HCR 2044 and passed it with some amendments which don't really fix this bad idea.  This is a House Concurrent Resolution, meaning if it passes both houses, it can be placed on the ballot as a referendum without review by the governor.  

·         In 1998 voters approved Proposition 105 which prohibits lawmakers from changing, or repealing a voter approved act or expenditure without a three-fourths approval.

·         This bill would ENABLE THE LEGISLATURE TO gut many health and human services initiatives including health care for the poor, education support, and early childhood development like most recent use of tobacco tax funding to increase healthcare coverage for low income children and adults and for First Things First (Early Childhood Health Screening and Development).

·         HCR2044 (voter-protection; temporary budgetary suspension) would upon voter approval, permit the Legislature to appropriate or divert funds enacted by initiative or referendum in years when the state budget is projected to have a deficit. The last time the Legislature tried to end run popular initiatives, the voters passed the Voter Protection Act (Prop 105) that keeps the Legislature from cutting those programs as they would like to do.

·         Make sure it does not pass on the Senate Floor.  Write, call, and e-mail your state senators and let them know how you feel.