Government Affairs Committee Meets with Key State Leaders
Chairman Art Berman led the annual legislative mission to Springfield on March 28 and 29. The delegation of 27 members of the Government Affairs Committee met with top state officials including: Lt. Governor Pat Quinn, newly elected State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, Department of Human Services Secretary Carol Adams, Department of Children and Family Services Deputy Director Tom Berkshire, Office of Management and Budget Director Ginger Ostro, Department on Aging Director Charles Johnson, Department of Healthcare and Family Services Director Barry Maram as well as House and Senate Leaders from both sides of the aisle.
Our delegation advocated for increased funding of community-based direct service providers -- particularly group homes for youths and adolescents; educational missions; key initiatives of the Council for Jewish Elderly and Jewish Vocational Service / Keshet; and support for various legislative proposals of interest to the Jewish Federation and its various Affiliate Agencies.
We heard from both legislative leaders and state officials that it is very likely a significant tax* increase will be enacted for the first time in more than a decade. However, the Governor and the legislative leaders do not have a common strategy for either implementing a tax increase or addressing state government’s revenue shortfall. The Governor has proposed a broad expansion of the health insurance for all and increased funding for education with a Gross Receipts Tax (GRT). While legislators support health insurance for all and education, many of them are concerned that current programs – particularly human services – will be short changed.
Senator Jeffrey Schoenberg and Representative Sara Feigenholtz, both Chairmen of Appropriations Committees in their respective chambers, gave the Committee members a briefing on the current status of appropriations discussions and the absence of human services as a priority funding concern. They both support health care financing initiatives of the Governor but want to see more rate equity for community-based human services for state agency referred clients. Neither expected a smooth and timely conclusion to the current spring session.
The annual dinner with the Jewish delegation was an enjoyable and candid event, with the legislators mentioning their legislative priorities of this spring session and a discussion of the importance of insuring that human services are part of spending mix of any significant tax increases.
The newly appointed Director of the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget, Ginger Ostro presented an overview of the Governor’s proposed budget, which included the introduction of the GRT. Thirty years ago, corporation taxes were far and away the major financer of government. Over the past few decades, the pendulum has swung far the other way as tax credits and deductions were made available to businesses for hiring additional workers, relocating into Illinois, expanding operations, and other reasons.
The two-day advocacy event concluded with the Director of the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, Barry Maram, focusing his remarks on the issue of governor’s new health care initiative. Director Maram complimented the committee on its effective federal and state advocacy on behalf of the Medicaid assessment and other concerns our Jewish agencies and general community.
