Breaking news....
: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :
June 2 , 2010
Action Alert!
Concerned Illinois citizens with disabilities and their friends and families are asking for your support.
Cutting community services and not paying service providers so they can stay open doesn't make "cents" for Illinois.
You can help by printing out the attached message and attaching one penny (one cent) to the paper. On the side, jot down a personal message about why you think the cuts don't make sense for someone you care about and mail it off to the Governor.
A printable copy of the message and instructions (including the address) are available here for your use.
: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :
May 6 , 2010
Budget Crisis Becomes Critical
As you know, funding for Trinity and many other community agencies is at risk in the governor’s proposed budget. Supporters of Trinity Services, Inc. need to do everything possible to stop these drastic budget cuts.
Before the Illinois General Assembly adjourns this week, it is imperative that you contact your State Senator and State Representative and urge them to support people with disabilities and their families.
It is equally important that you also contact Governor Quinn and especially the legislative leaders: Senate President John Cullerton, House of Representatives Speaker Michael Madigan, House Republican Leader Tom Cross and Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno.
Please call or fax your legislator in Springfield and ask them to do the following :
1) Preserve funding for community services and supports for persons with developmental
disabilities and mental illness at Fiscal Year 2010 levels.
2) Provide for a timely and consistent payment cycle for services provided.
If you don’t know who your legislator is, visit this link:
http://www.elections.state.il.us/DistrictLocator/DistrictOfficialSearchByAddress.aspx
We need as many people to call as possible. Please encourage your family and friends to make a call, too. Show the legislature that people with disabilities need the funding that supports services in the State of Illinois.
: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :
April 1 , 2010
Call or write your legislator today
Please contact your representatives NOW urging them to find an alternative method of balancing the budget so that people with disabilities are not harmed by the proposed funding cuts.
If you don’t know who your legislators are, click here
Here is a sample letter you can personalize and send to your legislator. If you need additional help, please call Sherry Ladislas at 815.717.3750.
Dear Representative/Senator _____________,
While I appreciate that everyone must “share the pain” of eliminating a $13 billion budget deficit, I would argue that that kind of thinking does not and should not apply to those Illinois citizens whose very lives depend on the support of others. Illinois continuously ranks among the lowest in the nation when it comes to funding services for people with disabilities and mental illness. I don’t know how it is possible for agencies to cut back any further without harming the people they are responsible for serving.
This is not a matter of providing funding for extra-curricular activities in schools or salary increases for staff. This is a matter of ensuring that people who cannot feed or bathe themselves receive the support they need to be healthy and safe; that people with persistent mental illness receive the
long-term supports that they need. It’s a matter of ensuring that vulnerable people have a safe place to live and that organizations providing these important services have the means to do so.
[Write your personal story here.]
It is also my understanding that cutting these funds reduces the amount of money that Illinois receives from the federal government for Medicaid services, which Illinoisans have been told is a priority of Governor Quinn’s.
I urge you to restore the proposed cuts to funding for people with disabilities and mental illness. It’s the right thing to do.
Sincerely,
[Your name here]
: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :
March 20 , 2010
An Illinois budget update letter for people receiving services, friends, and families from Art Dykstra, CEO.
How a $13 Billion State Budget Deficit Affects Trinity Services
On March 10th, Governor Quinn delivered his FY11 budget address to the General Assembly. The budget outlined Illinois’ continuing economic woes and noted the significant decrease in state revenues, as well as a staggering 6 billion in deferred payments meaning that Illinois does not have enough money to pay its bills. At this time most experts are agreeing that Illinois indeed has a 13 billion dollar deficit.
In Governor Quinn’s budget, he is suggesting a 276 million dollar cut to human services and extending current payment delays for up to an additional 45 days.
Before continuing this narrative, please stop and think how a small business would survive under these circumstances. Following the State of Illinois’ model of doing business with providers like Trinity, the business owner would be taxed another 2.5% (the equivalent to Trinity’s decrease in overall payments from the State). Additionally, the minimum wage will be going up by 25¢ per hour on July 1st; health insurance premiums and other operating expenses are also increasing; and your customers would not have to pay their bills for six months. And just to add challenge, let’s add an increase in rules and regulations. Going back to Trinity as the reference point, it should be noted that Trinity cannot raise its prices, unlike the small business owner. Faced with these constraints, how would a business owner continue to stay in business? How can Trinity?
As of this writing, we know that the cuts to Trinity are well in excess of 1 million dollars for services to the developmentally disabled. At this time, we have not received specific financial information from the Mental Health Division but we are told it’s devastating.
The cuts are far reaching and will have a significant impact on Trinity and the people we serve. For example, all of our Medicaid programs have been cut by 2.5% and there will be even greater delay in filling our residential vacancies – even though there are thousands of people seeking residential services in Illinois.
To underline an earlier point, besides these cuts, Trinity will be paid later - leading to a situation where we will have to borrow even more money. Each of our payrolls amounts to almost 1 million dollars and we have 26 payrolls per year.
Adding to this concern is an increase in insurance payments, and an increase in the minimum wage, as well as in other operating expenses.
Current Planning Activities
This, of course, follows the cuts experienced last year and the necessary cost reduction measures that were taken at that time.
Trinity has already frozen many staff vacancies, delayed the hiring of others, not given staff a salary increase in 3 years, put off vehicle replacement, postponed many physical plant improvements and examined virtually every aspect of our budget including telephone service, utilities, and transportation. We are at the level of detail of reviewing the cost and utilization of paper towels.
At this time, we are planning on consolidating some of our small homes in order to decrease personnel costs. This may mean that some individuals will be sharing bedrooms who previously had their own. We may also combine or recombine some of the smaller day programs in an effort to save lease expenses. Additionally, certain of our programs may have to be scaled back or be eliminated entirely. We will also decrease the monies we spend contractually, whether on professional services or maintenance.
Approximately seventy-five percent of Trinity’s budget is spent on personnel costs. It therefore becomes apparent that most of the reductions will have to come from this expenditure thus reducing the number of employees.
It is our strong desire not to discharge any of our Trinity residents. At this time, our planning in this regard is incomplete. What you can do I hate the idea and thought of a tax increase but, quite candidly, I do not know how Illinois can cut its way out of a 13 billion dollar deficit without great harm to vulnerable people.
As in times past, we are asking you to contact Governor Quinn and especially the legislative leaders. Senate President John Cullerton, House of Representatives Speaker Michael Madigan, House Republican Leader Tom Cross and Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno.
If you need additional information, please contact me or your Program Director. Look for updates on our website, www.trinity-services.org.
Lastly, please note the article on page 3 of this newsletter. We do need your email addresses to speed the rate at which we can share important information with you. It is our current understanding that the legislature intends to adjourn on May 7th. Thanks for your continued support.
Best Regards,
Art Dykstra
Download a copy of this letter by clicking here.
: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :
February 26 , 2010
Trinity Services shares important budget information from the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability (CTBA). The CTBA does an excellent job of summarizing the budget crisis in Illinois as it relates to human services. The development of this year's budget, which is going on right now, will have a serious impact on persons served by Trinity Services and by other agencies across the state, and you can read more about the potential impact of proposed budget cuts at www.ctbaonline.org, or by downloading the documents available below.
The CBTA's press release can be downloaded here. A complete report on Illinois State Funding for Human Services in Context is available for download here.
Governor Quinn has posted his proposed budget online at www.budget.illinois.gov. You can support Trinity and people wtih disabilities by sharing a public comment on the site. Help people with developmental disabilities and mental illness by letting the governor know that you oppose cuts to these programs.
: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :
January 4, 2010
An update from Art Dykstra regarding the Illinois budget:
The Economic Reality of Illinois
In terms of the Illinois economy, many of you have asked the question where are we now? Before sharing the current situation at Trinity, I thought it might be helpful to comment the State of Illinois budget.
Recently, I was able to meet with Governor Quinn’s Chief of Staff, Jerry Stermer and the newly appointed Secretary of Human Services, Michelle Saddler. According to Mr. Stermer, at this point in the year (early December), the State of Illinois is down almost another billion dollars from previously forecasted revenue levels.
Many elected and appointed officials are indicating that even with the passage of an income tax, the State would still face a budget deficit of 6 billion dollars next fiscal year.
While I am not an advocate for increased taxes, I do not believe that Illinois can cut its way out of the current financial disaster. Savings in the range of thousands or even millions of dollars can be identified but savings in the billions of dollars are a different matter. The State payroll is around 3 billion dollars, even if every state employee were to be laid off, the shortfall would still be massive.
It does seem as if budget cuts will be inevitable in terms of state monies. The obvious question is how much and to what programs? A number frequently bantered about is from 3 to 5%. At this time, Governor Quinn has indicated that some smaller state agencies may be cut as much as 14%.
A cut of 5% at Trinity, if taken across the board, would be about 2 million dollars – a scary thought. Since most of Trinity’s operating budget is in personnel services, it is apparent that reductions in staff would have to occur.
At this time, leadership staff are diligently looking at expenditures and income sources and working to develop a realistic contingency plan. It is premature to forecast a precise course of action but it certainly appears that next fiscal year will be a difficult one. Trinity’s Board of Directors is well aware of the situation and is deeply involved in ongoing budget discussions.
We will continue to fight, plan and pray as we go forward. If you have suggestions for helping us think through the challenges ahead, I would welcome them.
We will keep you informed.
: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :
July 27, 2009
Art's comments on the budget situation as of today:
The Illinois Budget: So Where Are We At?
We are beginning to get a few more details with respect to the status of Trinity’s budget but as of today, we have not received any communication in writing from the Illinois Department of Human Services.
At this time, it looks like the Governor’s Office is working to avoid any significant cuts in programs that are primarily funded through Medicaid. This is very significant to Trinity in as much as the greater portion of our funding is in this service category – over 90%.
No specific news on the grant funded programs but we do know that the Developmental Disabilities Division is working very hard to be given the opportunity to convert many of those programs to become Medicaid matched, so that the money wouldn’t be lost.
Currently, the biggest and scariest concern is word that the state payment cycle may become even longer. This is truly a significant problem as we seek to meet our payroll – approximately 1 million dollars every pay period – and pay our vendors on time.
As of today, the State of Illinois Comptroller’s office owes us $2,235,900. This problem is something that we have to really keep in front of our legislators and Governor Quinn.
Thanks for all of your support. We will keep you updated as we get more information.
Art Dykstra
: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :
July 17, 2009
A link to an article in the Joliet Herald News describes the budget the Governor signed this week.
: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :
Also on July 17, 2009...
See Art's quotes in the accompanying JolietHerald News article below:
: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :
July 10, 2009
For an update on Trinity's activities to Restore the Cuts, see our article here.
: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :
July 1, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CONTACT: Robert Reed (o. 312-814-3158; c. 312-203-5722)
Ashley Cross (o. 312-814-3158; c. 312-590-7811)
Statement from Governor Pat Quinn
Regarding the State Budget Impasse
SPRINGFIELD – July 1, 2009. “The State is without a budget for Fiscal Year 2010. Until a budget is in place, the State has very limited authority to pay its vendors and grantees. The State, however, will continue to operate and provide essential services to protect the health, safety, and welfare of Illinois citizens, such as maintaining prisons and providing emergency services and legally-required social services. Other vendors and grantees who currently perform State services do so at the risk of not being paid.
We are working toward and are hopeful that a full, fair, and balanced budget will be enacted and will allow the State to pay its vendors and grantees for the services they perform. We thank our citizens, vendors, and grantees for their service and patience during these trying times.”
###
: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :
June 18, 2009
See the update for people receiving services, friends, and families from Art Dykstra, CEO, by clicking here.