[il-talk] Many services for the blind will be eliminated if there's no tax increase.

[Bill Reif]

Below is an article that appeared in yesterday's Jacksonville
Journal-Courier that pretty much speaks for itself.  I have also included a 
short Peoria Journal Star article that briefly lists the budget cuts 
Governor Quinn outlined yesterday.  Note that compared to the scope of other 
state programs, the budget savings achievable through closing all three 
institutions that serve the blind is pretty moddist.  I plan to write my
Senator and State Rrepresentative, and urge that others do the same.  The
combined total of these cuts would be devistating to blind children who, on
short notice, will be transferred to school districts that may not be
prepared to receive and educate them.  There may not be time for said
districts to obtain necessary accessible books.

Bill Reif

Update: School for the Visually Impaired, School for the Deaf under budget
axe
Governor's list includes closure of Jacksonville institutions
June 16, 2009 - 11:57 AM
BY KATIE ANDERSON
Journal-Courier
The governor is serious this time, says Sen. Deanna Demuzio when talking
about cuts that could close the doors to the Illinois School for the Deaf
and the Illinois School for the Visually Impaired.

If Illinois lawmakers can't pass a full budget by the end of the month, the
state will face devastatingly deep cuts and Jacksonville will be hit hard.

Gov. Pat Quinn released a statement Tuesday listing the Illinois School for
the Deaf and the Illinois School for the Visually Impaired among state
services that will be closed if the state can not get past its $9.2 billion
budget impasse.

The announcements also predicted the closing of six of nine state-operated
psychiatric hospitals, four of nine state-operated developmental centers and
42 of 120 DHS Family and Community Resource Centers.

"It tells you something about the amount of crisis that we're in," said Sen.
Deanna Demuzio.

In addition to forcing visually impaired and deaf or hard of hearing
students to find alternative education centers, the shuttering of ISD and
ISVI would mean more than 350 employees in Jacksonville would lose their
jobs.

"People think, this is usual, they're playing games," Sen. Demuzio said.

"Yes, that has happened in the past, but we're now down to what like 10
days? And I don't think people realize the severity of this."

A spokeswoman from the governor's office said the announcements today are
not scare tactics.

"What we're doing is trying to make sure Illinois citizens understand the
budget that was passed," the spokeswoman said. "The General Assembly passed
a 50 percent budget and funded services provided by community organizations
at 50 percent, a 5 billion dollar cut essentially with an additional 4.2
billion dollar shortfall."

"I think what the governor is trying to do is make people understand how bad
the budget is, rather than just go ahead and implement these closures and
changes," she the spokeswoman said.



Peoria Journal-Star article

Proposed cuts

Posted Jun 16, 2009 @ 09:19 PM
Some cuts and their savings outlined by the administration Tuesday:
_ Eliminating child care assistance for 142,000 children: $271 million.
_ Ending addiction treatment for 20,800 teens and adults: $56 million,
_ Closing four of nine state developmental centers: $71 million.
_ Closing the Illinois School for the Deaf, Illinois School for the Visually 
Impaired
and Illinois Center for Rehabilitation Education: $18 million.
_ Cutting in half payments to foster parents and families who adopt foster 
children:
$163 million.
_ Closing 17 of 70 Department of Children and Family Services field offices: 
$13
million.
_ Eliminating community care programs for lower income seniors and reducing 
other
benefits: $315 million.
_ Eliminating grants to local health departments for food, water, sewage and 
infectious
disease services: $17 million.
Total: $924 million.