A letter from our CEO, Art Dykstra, to families and friends of Trinity Services regarding the budget crisis.
June 18, 2009
Dear _______________:
This is written to update you on Trinity’s response to the proposed “doomsday” budget and the catastrophic ramifications to the persons served by Trinity.
Hopefully you have been following the budgetary impasse in the media and have already talked with one of our leadership staff.
If the budget should play out as currently drafted, Trinity would lose funding for its vocational programs, family support and respite, home-based programs, and the Autism and Family Resource Center. Additionally, many of the programs that serve individuals with mental illness would not be funded, others would be greatly reduced.
On the residential side, I just learned that our programs would receive a 20 to 40% reduction on October 1st. Obviously, we could not continue to operate with such significant decreases. Do I really think such cuts could stand for more than a few weeks? – no. But I do not think we can take the chance that the cuts might not really happen. I have never seen the situation this grim in my entire career.
The disrespect for vulnerable people and persons with disabilities angers me beyond belief. Why would the legislature maintain funding for some programs, such as education, at last year’s levels – and in some cases give an increase – and destroy human services at the same time? I have nothing against education, but surely they could have been reduced a small amount, lessening the cuts made to human services.
From my perspective, this situation represents a lack of respect and regard. Simply stated, people with disabilities are not a priority in this state.
It is my belief that we have worked to understand the problem and now we need to work on the solution. We can return to the problem later, but now the focus must be on reversing the current direction.
For that reason, I am asking you to contact your state representative and senator and, if you can, also the four legislative leaders and the governor’s office. Note: should you need assistance in getting phone numbers, addresses, etc., please feel free to call Debra Lynn at 815-485-6197 or Sherry Ladislas at 815-717-3750.
Call, email, fax or better yet, ask to meet with them in person. Also use the tools of social networking if you are so inclined – facebook, twitter, etc.
To the extent that your friends, family and church or temple friends are willing to make contacts on our behalf, please invite them to be part of the response as well.
At this time, Trinity is not sending out layoff notices to our staff, nor are we telling parents that we are going to discharge their children. We are focusing on making calls and contacts, on reversing the decision.
Our message is simple, “Please help me and my family and restore the cuts.” Note that I am not suggesting voting for a tax hike, just stopping the cuts.
I would sincerely appreciate your doing whatever you can. Should the budget cuts go through, we will schedule timely meetings to try and determine our future – if we have one.
If you have questions, call or email me. If you would like hard copies of the correspondence or notifications that we have received to date, please let me know and we will send it out to you.
Thank you for your support. Now is the time to make the call.
Thanks and Best Regards.
Yours truly,
Art Dykstra
Executive Director