Governor Rauner, stop holding the budget hostage!
The State of Illinois is about to enter its fifth month of operating without a budget, while children and families in our state continue to suffer. Illinois is now worst in the nation for access to affordable, quality child care. The Governor’s devastating changes to child care subsidy eligibility during the budget stalemate are resulting in hardworking moms losing their employment, hamstringing domestic violence survivors, and families who are experiencing homelessness.
Advocating for our state budget to provide adequate and fair revenue requires perseverance. We need your voice to join a growing cloud of witnesses at the Thompson Center for a Moral Monday public action, where we expect over 500 faith and community leaders calling for an end to the state budget crisis.
A team of faith leaders from Community Renewal Society joined over 200 advocates in Springfield last week to lead a public demonstration that disrupted the House and Senatesessions because their inaction is disrupting our lives. Community leaders displayed a banner over the House gallery that read “Governor Rauner is holding the budget hostage. Don’t be his partner in crime,” while others blew whistles and chanted “No More Cuts!” Our message was clear: inaction is no longer acceptable.
The state’s unpaid bills keep increasing every day, making a solution more and more costly. Our elected officials’ inaction is hurting our communities and they need to know that we will not stop until they do what is right for the people of Illinois. The writer of Hebrews reminds us, “Let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us” (12:1). As people of faith, we must continue to take prophetic action against these cuts.
Together our voices will help to amplify a growing bi-partisan call for the Governor to end this prolonged race by putting aside non-budget issues and working with legislative leaders to pass a responsible budget that avoids harmful cuts by increasing revenue. Slashing invaluable services for the people whose lives depend on them, while refusing to increase corporate taxes on those who can best afford it, is unacceptable.