'This state is sick': Social service providers face devastating cuts in Illinois budget battle

Jane Nesbit is in a bind.

Illinois has told her it's going to cut about half the funding it provides for the nonprofit organization she runs, Developmental Disability Services of Metro East.

On one hand, Nesbit is fighting for the money she needs to serve the roughly 700 people with developmental disabilities who rely on her agency.

On the other, she can't help but wonder whether she's being used -- along with other social-service providers and their recipients.

"I would tell you that I feel used, and I don't know that the governor is the only one that's making me feel that way," Nesbit said.

Who else?

She paused, then said, "Illinois politics in general."

Nesbit's organization evaluates people, determines whether they meet requirements for various social services, then guides them on how to get those services, which include home-based support and residential programs.

Other organizations across Illinois that serve people with disabilities, the elderly, the poor and abused children have received similar funding-cut notices from the state.

Gov. Pat Quinn has been touring those types of agencies, warning their services must be cut because of a $9.2 billion state budget shortfall. He wants the General Assembly to increase the state income tax from 3 percent to 4.5 percent. But that's politically dangerous for legislators.

Quinn will make a push for the tax increase during a visit today in Belleville.

Nesbit expects a large turnout that will include social workers and people needing help. And that's part of the reason she feels she's being used.

"When the governor comes to Belleville, and you see, I'm hoping, hundreds of people who are going to lose their jobs and lose their services, and you take your photographer out there and take pictures of people who are going to be devastated, that answers the question," Nesbit said.

She added, "If everybody in that parking lot was a teacher, I don't think the photographs would be as effective. There are going to be a lot of poor, disabled, sick individuals, who are going to feel used, and are already feeling used, but they want you to know their plight."

John Foppe, director of Community Link in Breese, which serves people with developmental disabilities, has the same feeling. He said about 400 people could be left without Community Link's services, which include adult day training in Fairview Heights and Breese, a respite program for caregivers, and a Head Start and early development program for developmentally disabled children.

"They're being used as political pawns," Foppe said. "This state is sick."

Foppe said he had to meet with about 20 clients Wednesday and explain the situation. One went into a seizure.

"They're screwing with people's lives," Foppe said. "I would like to see one of those politicians go into a room like I did with 20 developmentally disabled people."

Nesbit said that although she's seen "these kinds of games" before, "this one feels different."

"This one, it's in black and white, and on my desk," she said. "I'm looking at the layoff policy. It's in my lap right now."

Nesbit would probably have to cut 11 of her 20 workers if the cuts materialize. She said her agency's board of directors recently passed a resolution supporting a tax increase, but only if the increase goes toward supporting people with disabilities.

Jackie Hofmann, owner of Little Munchkins Daycare in Belleville, said all but one of the 105 children at her daycare are in a state subsidy program offered to low-income and single-parent families. The subsidy pays all but a few dollars of the cost, but it's on the chopping block.

"There will be parents who have to quit their jobs because they'll have nowhere to bring their kids," Hofmann said.

But Hofmann said she understands taxpayers might not trust Illinois politicians with more money, and that cuts could probably be made elsewhere. She said she did some research and learned the state is spending millions on cultural programs, the arts and research on things such as why weeds grow.

"Spray some Roundup, that's my opinion," she said.

Cynthis Harris, of Belleville, said if the cuts happen, her daughter, who is 17 and has a developmental disability, would have to leave the Hope Institute in Springfield because it would close.

Harris, a single mother, said she works two part-time jobs and doesn't have the physicial or financial capability to care for her daughter.

"If I bring her home, I have to quit working. It's just not possible," Harris said.

Harris said the institute informed her the residents would have to leave in October. "We can't just wait and see if it's a scare tactic," she said.

Jim Tobin, president of the anti-tax group National Taxpayers United of Illinois, said the real reason the state wants a tax increase is to pay for healthcare benefits and pensions for state employees and legislators.

"It's a huge smokescreen, Tobin said. "They're trying to raise the income tax 50 percent in order to pay their multimillion-dollar pensions and subsidize the luxurious healthcare benefits of government employees."

Tobin added, "It's a time-honored tradition for them to trot out these people and say the tax increase is for them. I hope these people realize they're being played for suckers. We taxpayers do, and we're not going to take it."

State Sen. Kyle McCarter, R-Lebanon, said Quinn has "blatantly carved" out the poor, the disabled, the elderly and the abused from the budget. He said it would be irresponsible for legislators to approve a tax increase without first addressing spending.

"We didn't get into this deficit because we didn't tax people enough, we got into this situation because we spent more than we had," McCarter said.

Several dozen health care and child care workers rallied Wednesday outside the offices of local state representatives to oppose what they called the "doomsday budget" with $9 billion in cuts to Illinois human services.

Nursing home workers and parents of children with autism held signs and chanted, "Have some guts, stop the cuts," and "Save our elderly, save our children" outside the Belleville office of state Rep. Tom Holbrook, D-Belleville. Another group was at the office of state Rep. Jay Hoffman, D-Collinsville.

Debra Buchanan, of the Service Employees International Union, said budget cuts would decrease and eliminate services for the elderly, veterans, special-needs students, those with mental disabilities and those with substance abuse problems.

"These are real lives that this budget is going to affect. They need to find another way to balance the budget besides on the backs of our most vulnerable citizens," Buchanan said. "We need increased revenue, a fair income tax increase."

Holbrook agreed with the crowd.

"It's the elderly and the disabled that are going to be hurt by these cuts," he said. "If you don't raise your voices and you don't put a face to these cuts, you're going to get cut."

Holbrook said he voted against the proposed income tax increase because the governor had not outlined where the funds would be allocated and what spending cuts would be made.

"There's going to be cuts even with tax increases," Holbrook said. "You can't fill a $9 billion hole without making service cuts."

Holbrook blamed about 75 percent to 80 percent of Illinois' budget woes on the economy, and said other states are struggling in similar ways.