Advocacy Updates
State Budget Report June 1, 2010
Greetings --
I want to thank all of you for your activity in support of the goal of the Responsible Budget Coalition to achieve a responsible budget with significant new revenues. Illinois needs a comprehensive solution to the budget mess -- avoid harmful cuts to vital programs, pay the bills, fix the structural deficit to prevent a similar meltdown in the future -- and that solution is not possible without significant new revenues.
You made the calls and emails; you visited your legislator in-district or appeared at town halls and forums; you told your stories to the local media; you came to Springfield; you showed up and did not let the cynics and the conventional wisdom stop you. And it really made -- is making -- a difference!! The ball is moving down the field towards our goal.
The powers that be in Springfield have cobbled together an interim budget that is not a responsible budget (and some pieces of it are not yet complete). We did not get over the hump in this session. But we have gained powerful momentum.
Check it out:
- We produced 5,000 for a Capitol rally in February, then a record-smashing 15,000 for the “Save our State” rally in April. This is national news and is being framed as the beginning of an "anti-Tea Party" movement. I prefer to frame what we're doing in terms of what we are for -- a responsible budget
- but the point is that we have tapped into something deep and important and it is only beginning to stir.
- We produced tens of thousands of calls and emails. This steady and heavy pressure weighs on the legislators and counteracts the conventional wisdom, which is dug in and a powerful force.
- We produced a steady flow of local media stories documenting the carnage "back home" resulting from the lack of a responsible budget and the lack of leadership. This is the beginning of accountability for each legislator, the public record that calls out for leadership. They need to find a solution, not hide from it.
- We had hundreds of in-district meetings and encounters. There is no substitute for looking each other in the eye and not being afraid of tension.
- The leaders planned for months that the assembly would slap together a stopgap budget and then go home early. That plan had behind it the combined weight of the authority of the leaders and the inevitability of the conventional wisdom. We stopped that in its tracks.
- There is a LOT of tension in Springfield over what they did last week. Indeed, some of the Senators who refused to vote for parts of the final budget package did so because they were standing firm for Responsible Budget Coalition (RBC) principles. The RBC did not attempt to block any of the specific parts of this interim budget -- many of our members were deeply concerned about trying to avoid as much damage to important programs as possible during these coming months. But we made it clear that the whole thing does not amount to a responsible budget. Many legislators, who voted for the package, even though they would also vote for revenue, are nervous about what we will say about it. It has helped the RBC gain more promises about doing the revenue at the end of the year.
So, thank you.
We have been building this movement throughout the year, and we finished strong. We have good momentum that we need to sustain. So stand by. I'll be getting back to you in a short while with plans for the next phase of this effort. Meanwhile, you can be thinking about how to add more groups to this coalition. We need this to grow.
John Bouman
Responsible Budget Coalition
Lutheran Day 2010
Than you for attending Lutheran Day 2010!
Videos from Lutheran Day:
- http://progressillinois.com/videos/content/2010/04/22/save-our-state-rally-deanna-martinez
- http://stpaulroberts.wordpress.com/
Welcome to Lutheran Advocacy—Illinois, a justice ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the three ELCA synods in Illinois and Lutheran Social Services of Illinois.
Advocacy Updates
A recent article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch very clearly and concisely lays out the context for the struggles around the state budget. Read article.
The Responsible Budget Coalition (RBC), which LSSI helps to lead, is conducting an e-mail advocacy campaign in support of a budget that includes tax reform to provide sufficient and sustainable funding for vital state services while providing tax relief to low income households. Participate in the RBC's electronic advocacy campaign.
Lutheran Social Services of Illinois, Lutheran Advocacy-Illinois, Protestants for the Common Good and other faith based groups are co-sponsoring a “Faith Call-In Day” on Wednesday, May 5. For more information on how to participate in the toll-free, statewide call-in campaign, click here.
Lutheran Advocacy-Illinois has endorsed the Reform Immigration for America Campaign which is being led by the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights: click here to endorse or for more information
Illinois Environmental Council - click here for more information
Illinois Coalition Against the Death Penalty - click here for info
Support ending the death penalty, write to your legislator asking them to support HB 262 for more click here for more information on the bill and to send a letter to your legislators
More than 100 environmental advocates from across the state of Illinois converged on Springfield. They encouraged their legislators to support a package of bills that will create clean energy jobs, protect Illinois’ natural heritage, and reduce our exposure to toxic chemicals. Of course, there is still a lot of work to do. Click here for more information and to take action.
We have been part of the Monsignor Egan Coalition as part of a campaign to reform pay day lending: click here for more info
Support SB655: Consumer Installment Loan Reform Act: click here for more info
We hope this site will help you become a better informed and more active participant in public life in ways that connect with your Christian values.
In our current program year, Lutheran Advocacy—Illinois has been focusing our attention on several large issues that have many small moving parts. We portray our work as follows:
Human Care:
Nutrition
Housing
Health Care
Social Services
Education
Earth Care:
All issues relating to environmental stewardship and Care of Creation
Civil Rights/Human Rights:
Death Penalty
Prison Reform
Restorative Justice
Overview of Human Services Funding Document
