<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><br id="lineBreakAtBeginningOfSignature"><div dir="ltr">Sent from my iPhone</div><div dir="ltr"><br>Begin forwarded message:<br><br></div><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><b>From:</b> Equip for Equality <webmaster+equipforequality@neonemails.com><br><b>Date:</b> May 27, 2025 at 11:34:04\u202fAM CDT<br><b>To:</b> "Debbie P. Pittman" <debbiepittman99@gmail.com><br><b>Subject:</b> <b>Action Alert - Illinois Budget Cuts</b><br><b>Reply-To:</b> Equip for Equality <webmaster@equipforequality.org><br><br></div></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr">\ufeff
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<!--[if !gte mso 9]><!----><span style="display:none !important; font-size:0px; line-height:0px; max-height:0px; max-width:0px; opacity:0; overflow:hidden; visibility:hidden; mso-hide:all;"><!--NEONCRM-PREVIEW-TEXT-START---->A cut to Direct Support Professionals hours is a cut to essential services for people with disabilit<!--NEONCRM-PREVIEW-TEXT-END-----></span><!--<![endif]-->
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</figure> <p class="align-center" style="color: #3c4144; font-family: Roboto,Arial,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: center;"> </p> <p style="color: #3c4144; font-family: Roboto,Arial,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;">As the Illinois General Assembly works to finalize the FY 26 budget during this final week of session, we urge you to <strong>call the offices of the State Senators </strong>listed below <strong>NOW</strong>!</p>
<ul style="list-style-position: inside; Margin: 0 0 10px 0; padding: 0 0 0 10px;">
<li style="display: list-item; line-height: 1.5em; Margin: 0; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0; word-break: break-word; overflow-wrap: break-word; list-style: disc outside; mso-special-format: bullet;">Senate President Don Harmon: 217-782-8176</li>
<li style="display: list-item; line-height: 1.5em; Margin: 0; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0; word-break: break-word; overflow-wrap: break-word; list-style: disc outside; mso-special-format: bullet;">Senator Omar Aquino: 217-782-5652</li>
<li style="display: list-item; line-height: 1.5em; Margin: 0; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0; word-break: break-word; overflow-wrap: break-word; list-style: disc outside; mso-special-format: bullet;">Senator David Koehler: 217-782-8250</li>
<li style="display: list-item; line-height: 1.5em; Margin: 0; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0; word-break: break-word; overflow-wrap: break-word; list-style: disc outside; mso-special-format: bullet;">Senator Elgie Sims, Jr.: 217-782-3201</li>
<li style="display: list-item; line-height: 1.5em; Margin: 0; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0; word-break: break-word; overflow-wrap: break-word; list-style: disc outside; mso-special-format: bullet;">Senate Minority Leader John Curran: 217-782-9407</li>
</ul> <p style="color: #3c4144; font-family: Roboto,Arial,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;"> </p> <p style="color: #3c4144; font-family: Roboto,Arial,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;">We want these Senators to hear from <strong>as many people as possible </strong>about the importance of keeping Direct Support Professional (DSP) hours where they are and raising wages for DSPs--<strong>TODAY! </strong>When you make calls you will be reaching their staff or a voicemail. Their staff members are used to receiving calls from concerned citizens. If you are a <strong>constituent </strong>of one of the Senators, <strong>be sure to tell them so! </strong></p> <p style="color: #3c4144; font-family: Roboto,Arial,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;">Here\u2019s a sample message: </p> <p style="color: #3c4144; font-family: Roboto,Arial,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;">Hi, my name is [FIRST AND LAST NAME]. <em>If you represent a group or organization, tell them which one.</em></p> <p style="color: #3c4144; font-family: Roboto,Arial,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;">I urge you to do two important things for people with disabilities in the state budget:</p>
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<li style="display: list-item; line-height: 1.5em; Margin: 0; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0; word-break: break-word; overflow-wrap: break-word; list-style: decimal outside;"><strong>Don\u2019t</strong> cut Direct Support Professional service hours. </li>
<li style="display: list-item; line-height: 1.5em; Margin: 0; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0; word-break: break-word; overflow-wrap: break-word; list-style: decimal outside;"><strong>Do</strong> include the Governor\u2019s proposed 50-cent wage increase for Direct Support Professionals. </li>
</ol> <p style="color: #3c4144; font-family: Roboto,Arial,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;"> </p> <p style="color: #3c4144; font-family: Roboto,Arial,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;">A cut to DSP hours is a cut to essential services for people with disabilities.</p> <p style="color: #3c4144; font-family: Roboto,Arial,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;">A DSP wage increase will help improve staffing for people with disabilities\u2014and give workers the fair pay they deserve.</p> <p style="color: #3c4144; font-family: Roboto,Arial,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; padding: 0; margin: 0; Margin: 0; text-align: left; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; Margin-bottom: 10px;">Thank you.</p></th>
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