Jun 26, 2009 3:36 pm US/Central
State-Assisted Services Already Being Cut
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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Robert Scott stands to lose his counseling sessions, under looming state budget cuts.
CBS
So, when exactly is the state budget doomsday?
Gov. Quinn once said that, unless the General Assembly raises taxes, he would implement huge social-service spending cuts next week. Although Quinn today declined to repeat his threat, some vital services are already shutting down, as CBS 2 Political Editor Mike Flannery reports.
Rob, when state officials told the C4 counseling center its funding would be cut by $4.4 million, effective next Wednesday, the agency stopped taking new state-funded clients -- including victims of sexual assault, drug and alcohol addicts and troubled young people.
Robert Scott's one of the lucky ones. Although he's had no insurance since losing his job, for 10 months he's gotten therapy and other help at C4, the Community Counseling Centers of Chicago. Now, the agency's had to warn him that it may no longer be able to provide any of those services, effective next Wednesday.
Scott says he feels "frustrated, scared, angry, and really let down" and as if he has nowhere else to turn.
Staff Therapist Audra Massey's another potential victim of the long-running budget battle in Springfield. She and about 60 of her colleagues may lose their jobs next month.
"We have to prepare for the worst case scenario," she said. "There's some fear and disappointment, some anger. What on earth are we going to do?"
Leaders of the General Assembly want to borrow billions to avoid cutting spending. The governor calls that irresponsible. Unless the state income tax is raised, he says, there will be a budget doomsday.
"If that is what they want to impose on the people of Illinois, I have a legal duty to notify all of these contractors of state government whose contracts begin on July 1st," Quinn said.
For now, C4 is warning staff and clients that doomsday could come next Wednesday.
"I've got a headache now and sleeping is difficult -- all the usual sorts of things that are associated with these kinds of traumas," agency president and CEO Tony Kopera said.
Kopera's been there since 1980, and weathered many a budget crisis. He says he's never seen one like this.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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