Income tax boost needed for services

This time the sky may really fall. If Governor Quinn's budget passes, clients of Kenneth Young Center will suffer: 30 to 40 percent of elderly clients requesting Community Care Program services will no longer qualify. They will not be eligible for services (homemakers, adult day care, emergency home response, etc.) that can keep them in the community and out of institutional care.

Nearly 40 percent of mental health clients will no longer be eligible to get help. Those who are just above the poverty limit will be out of luck. Do our state lawmakers really believe cutting services now will not cause more expensive problems later? Taking away early intervention for mental health problems will send many into institutional care, overburdening hospitals, police departments, nursing homes, emergency rooms and homeless shelters.

Even the Director of Illinois Mental Health Division warned that "as many as 83 of the 190 mental health centers in the state may have to close." What appears clear is that if this budget passes, to paraphrase the Director of DHS, "it will shred the safety net for people who really need it."

Please encourage state legislators to act with courage. We can affect the severity of the proposed cuts by contacting our legislators and asking them to support a temporary increase in the state income tax. (Illinois has one of the lowest state income taxes in the country.)

Maintaining some level of safety net for our most vulnerable citizens is morally right - it is compassionate and treats our neighbors as we would treat our families. And it will be financially right - investing in community care will prevent the high cost we'd face if these unserved people show up in institutions.

It's an investment that will pay off.

Mitch Bruski

Kenneth Young Center

Elk Grove Village