Lobby for override of governor's veto

Recently, Gov. Blagojevich used his line-item veto power to cut more than $450 million from the state budget, falsely characterizing the programs he cut as "pork." But his cuts have a human cost, particularly hurting the sick and disabled.

For example, he cut $8 million from the Department of Mental Health budget. In addition, he cut more than $6 million in "cost of doing business" increases paid to providers of mental health and substance abuse programs. Considering recent large increases in the price of gasoline, natural gas, electricity, employee health insurance and other costs, the "cost of doing business" in Illinois has increased dramatically, and because of the governor's budget cuts, these service providers will have to reduce the level of services they provide to people who are mentally ill or developmentally disabled.

According the Mark Heyrman of Illinois' Mental Health Summit: "Already staff are being laid off and services cut across the state. Providers are being told to terminate patients or conduct bake sales to pay for their care since they will no longer be paid for by the state."

Recently the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) conducted a state-by-state review of mental health programs. Illinois was one of only six states to earn a grade of "F," and the study revealed that Illinois ranked 34th among the 50 states in terms of per capita state spending on mental health programs. The governor's vetoes will only make this situation worse.

I encourage Daily Herald readers to contact their state senators and representatives to urge the General Assembly to override the governor's veto of programs that help our sick and disabled neighbors, people whose disabilities are not "pork."

Hugh Brady

NAMI Barrington Area

Palatine